The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Dr Bernard Doro, has commended the resilience, courage and determination of another batch of 271 Nigerians who returned safely from South Africa on Tuesday, assuring them of the Federal Government’s continued commitment to their dignified reintegration and long-term recovery.
The Minister gave the assurance in a statement issued by his Senior Technical Adviser on Information Systems and Data Analysis, Dr Abimbola Fasanu.
Dr Doro reiterated that the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu remains committed to protecting the dignity and welfare of Nigerians wherever they may be, adding that the Federal Government would continue to provide humanitarian assistance and facilitate the reintegration of all returnees.
He said no Nigerian would be abandoned, stressing that under the Renewed Hope Agenda, every citizen matters and every returnee deserves the opportunity to rebuild a productive and dignified life.
The Minister explained that the reintegration process extends beyond receiving returnees at the airport and includes humanitarian assistance, profiling, referrals and access to opportunities designed to help them rebuild sustainable livelihoods.
He assured the returnees that they had not been repatriated because they had committed any crime, but had returned after facing difficult circumstances while pursuing legitimate means of livelihood abroad, and pledged that the government would stand by them throughout the recovery process.
Dr Doro called on state governments, the private sector, development partners, philanthropic organisations, community leaders, families and other well-meaning Nigerians to complement the Federal Government’s efforts by supporting the returnees as they begin a new chapter in their lives.
He emphasised that successful reintegration is a shared responsibility, requiring sustained support from all stakeholders to restore dignity, rebuild lives and create new opportunities for the returnees.
Expressing confidence in their resilience, Dr Doro urged the returnees to remain hopeful, saying Nigerians are renowned for their determination, creativity and ability to overcome adversity.
The Minister also commended the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI), the lead agency coordinating the reception and reintegration process, for its dedication and professionalism.
The Director of Migrants Affairs at the NCFRMI, Ambassador Catherine Udida, reaffirmed the Commission’s commitment to ensuring that every returnee receives the necessary support for a smooth and dignified reintegration.
She disclosed that additional batches of returnees are expected in the coming weeks and assured them that the Ministry would continue to monitor their rehabilitation through skills acquisition programmes and other initiatives aimed at helping them secure sustainable livelihoods.
One of the returnees, Adeyemo Place, said he returned home with virtually nothing, describing it as heartbreaking to sell property acquired over more than a decade for a fraction of its value.
Another returnee, Mr John Okeke, urged the Federal Government to take the issue of xenophobic attacks in South Africa seriously to deter similar incidents in other African countries.
He maintained that the returnees were law-abiding migrants who did not deserve the treatment they received in South Africa.
The latest group of 271 returnees arrived in Lagos at about 10:40 a.m. aboard an Air Peace flight from Johannesburg as part of the Federal Government’s ongoing voluntary repatriation programme for Nigerians who opted to return home following rising anti-immigration tensions in South Africa.
