IYAMIDR commends Okpebholo for ₦1m support to South Africa returnees

The Initiative for Youth Awareness on Migration, Immigration, Development and Reintegration (IYAMIDR) has commended Edo State Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo, for approving a ₦1 million support package for each of the 41 Edo indigenes evacuated from South Africa following recent xenophobic attacks.

In a statement issued on Monday by its Executive Director, Comrade Solomon Okoduwa, the organisation described the governor’s intervention as “governance with a human face” and praised his leadership on migration, reintegration, security and human dignity.

IYAMIDR recalled that on May 4, 2026, it had urged the Federal Government and state governments to prepare for the return of Nigerians affected by xenophobic attacks in South Africa by establishing structured reintegration programmes to support them.

The organisation said it was encouraged that the Edo State Government had translated those recommendations into action.

According to the statement, Governor Okpebholo, while receiving the returnees at the Government House in Benin City, announced a ₦1 million grant for each returnee to assist with accommodation and also pledged soft loans to enable them to establish businesses and rebuild their livelihoods.

The group noted that the returnees recounted losing their husbands, businesses, vehicles and other valuables during the attacks but expressed appreciation for the governor’s intervention. It added that the governor assured them that Edo State remained a safe place to live and encouraged them to view their return as a fresh beginning.

IYAMIDR praised the financial support, the proposed livelihood assistance and the public reception accorded the returnees, saying the measures restored their dignity and reinforced their sense of belonging.

The organisation also commended the governor’s efforts to tackle cultism and kidnapping in Edo State, describing his approach as one attracting national and international attention.

It urged the Federal Government and other state governors to emulate Edo State by establishing reintegration desks, providing immediate housing and livelihood support for returnees, and partnering with relevant agencies and civil society organisations to coordinate reintegration programmes.

IYAMIDR reaffirmed its readiness to collaborate with the Edo State Government, the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other stakeholders to provide migration awareness, counselling and reintegration support for returnees.