Ondo Supports Returnees After South Africa Attacks

The Ondo returnees from South Africa will receive financial assistance, skills support and counselling as the state government helps them rebuild their lives.

Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa made the commitment on Thursday in Akure while receiving the returnees at a government welcoming and empowerment programme. He said financial support had already been approved for each person and that officials would assess their individual circumstances to determine the most suitable form of assistance.

Aiyedatiwa stressed that coming home should not mark the end of the difficulties faced by the returnees. Instead, he urged them to view their return as an opportunity to rebuild, using the skills, knowledge and experience they gained in South Africa to create fresh opportunities in Ondo State.

“The returnees should see their experience abroad as an opportunity to start afresh and contribute to the development of their communities,” Mr Aiyedatiwa said.

The governor said the reintegration plan would extend beyond immediate financial relief. It will also focus on skills development, counselling, entrepreneurship and other forms of economic support.

He encouraged the returnees to examine the needs of their communities and identify business opportunities that could support new ventures. Their experience of working in a different economic environment, he said, could help them develop businesses and contribute to local economic activity.

Representing the returnees, Ajibade James described the difficulties they experienced in South Africa. These included violent attacks, the destruction or loss of businesses and property, and other challenges that eventually forced them to return to Nigeria.

Mr Ogunleye thanked the Federal Government and the Ondo State Government for helping facilitate the return of affected Nigerians. He said many returnees needed more than transportation because some had lost the businesses and assets that supported their livelihoods.

The return of the Ondo returnees from South Africa forms part of a wider Nigerian repatriation exercise linked to renewed xenophobic attacks and growing security concerns in South Africa.

The Federal Government began evacuating Nigerians from the country in June after anti-immigrant protests and attacks against foreign nationals intensified in several areas.

The first batch included 258 Nigerians evacuated from South Africa. By 15 July, the Federal Government said it had brought back 1,490 Nigerians in seven flights, operated by Air Peace and South African Airways.

Officials said the evacuation responded to security concerns caused by ongoing attacks against foreign nationals, including Nigerians.

In addition to the organised evacuation, more than 1,500 Nigerians voluntarily returned from South Africa between 11 June and 15 July. The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) coordinated their return and described the exercise as part of efforts to ensure that Nigerians came home safely, orderly and with dignity.

The violence occurred amid growing anti-immigrant sentiment in South Africa. Migrants have repeatedly faced accusations that they contribute to problems such as unemployment, crime and pressure on public services.

The unrest was also followed by calls from anti-immigration groups for undocumented foreign nationals to leave South Africa. This increased concerns among Nigerians and other African migrants about their safety.

In July, Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that two Nigerians had been killed during the wave of anti-migrant violence.

For the Ondo government, the immediate priority now is helping those who returned regain financial stability and rebuild their livelihoods. The planned combination of financial aid, counselling, training and entrepreneurship support is intended to help the returnees make a sustainable new start in their home communities.

Do you think more Nigerian states should introduce similar reintegration programmes for citizens returning from abroad?