Jonas Ezieke, Abuja
The excited 1,490 Nigeria returnees from South Africa have expressed appreciation to President Bola Tinubu for paying fully for their evacuation and rehabilitation back from South Africa.
The returnees, according to a release issued to newsmen by the Director, Media Public Relations and Protocols NiDCOM, Abdurahman Balogun, also appreciated all Federal agencies and philanthropists who supported them in various ways.
Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo state gave each returnee ₦1 million while Governor Monday Okpebholo of Edo state received them at the Government House and promised a support of ₦1 million each in the first instance. Delta, Anambra, Abia, Enugu and Lagos states have also reached out to contact their returnees while appealing to other states, Bayelsa, Rivers, Ogun, Oyo, Kwara, Ekiti, Akwa Ibom, Cross Rivers, Ebonyi, Kogi, Ondo and Osun to reach out to their citizens.
The NiDCOM boss also thanked all who supported like Apostle Dr. Chibuzor Gift Chinwe of Omega Power Ministries who offered free accommodation to 57 returnee families at OPM Headquarters in Port Harcourt , including skills acquisition, and free education up to university level; for all the children of the families.
Similarly, she expressed the same appreciation to MTN Nigeria, who gave free SIM packs with data worth ₦50,000 plus ₦100,000 cash to each returnee.
Dabiri-Erewa equally thanked JAAL Foundation for its empowerment support to 50 female returnees.
In the same vein, Pastor Bolaji Idowu of Harvesters Church gave ₦100,000 each to 66 returnees while Cruxstone Real Estate gave cash support for the first set of returnees and Oyakhilome Foundation who gave food baskets worth N30,000 each to the last batch of returnees.
Dabiri-Erewa also thanked all government agencies like NEMA, FAAN, NIMC, Refugees Commission, Nigerian Immigration Service who helped in making the return journey comfortable for Nigerians, especially Minister of Foreign Affairs, Amb. Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, Nigerian Acting Ambassador in South Africa, Amb. Temitope Alexander-Ajayi and Amb. Ninikanwa Okey-Uche, the Consul -General.
She reiterated her call to governors, private individuals and corporate organisations to also extend their kind gesture to their compatriots who just returned from South Africa.
The evacuation of stranded Nigerians in South Africa started on June 11, and ended on July 15, with 305 Nigerians back home aboard Air Peace Airline.
