LAGOS, NIGERIA — The Redeemed Christian Church of God has flown home 107 Nigerians from South Africa in the first batch of a humanitarian intervention to repatriate 500 people affected by xenophobic attacks and economic hardship in the country.
The returnees arrived at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos on Thursday aboard a chartered flight arranged by the church. They were received by officials of the RCCG, the Nigeria Diaspora Commission, the National Emergency Management Agency, and the Lagos State Government.
The repatriation exercise followed the donation of $265,854 by the RCCG to support the evacuation of distressed Nigerians from South Africa. The church said the intervention was necessary to provide relief to Nigerians who had been displaced, destitute, or traumatised by the recent wave of xenophobic violence in South Africa.
Speaking at the airport, the General Overseer of RCCG, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, said the church was committed to the welfare of Nigerians, wherever they may be. He said the repatriation was part of the church’s humanitarian mission and that more batches would follow in the coming weeks.
“We are here to receive our brothers and sisters who have been through difficult times in South Africa. The Bible tells us to bear one another’s burdens, and that is what we are doing. We will continue to support them until they are fully resettled,” Adeboye stated.
The returnees, many of whom looked weary and traumatised, expressed gratitude to the church for coming to their aid. Some recounted harrowing experiences of losing their businesses, homes, and livelihoods in the attacks.
“I lost everything in South Africa. My shop was looted and burned. I had nowhere to go. I thank God that the church came to my rescue. I am happy to be back home,” said one of the returnees, who gave her name as Ngozi.
Another returnee, Emeka, said he had lived in South Africa for over a decade and had never experienced such hostility. “I was a law-abiding resident. I paid my taxes and contributed to the economy. But when the attacks started, no one was safe. I am grateful to be alive and to be back in Nigeria,” he said.
The Director-General of the Nigeria Diaspora Commission, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, who was at the airport to receive the returnees, commended the RCCG for its intervention. She said the commission would work with the church and other stakeholders to ensure that the returnees were properly resettled and reintegrated into society.
“We are grateful to the RCCG for this gesture. It is a demonstration of the church’s commitment to the welfare of Nigerians. We will work with all stakeholders to ensure that these returnees are properly resettled and that they can rebuild their lives,” Dabiri-Erewa said.
The commission said it had registered the returnees and would provide them with temporary accommodation, medical care, and counselling. It also said it would work with the Bank of Industry and other agencies to provide them with small business loans and skills training to help them restart their lives.
“The returnees will be given temporary accommodation and medical care. We will also provide them with counselling and support to help them deal with the trauma they have experienced. In the long term, we will work with our partners to provide them with loans and training to help them start their own businesses,” the commission stated.
The RCCG said the second batch of returnees would arrive in Nigeria in the coming weeks. The church urged other organisations and individuals to support the repatriation effort, noting that the need for assistance remained critical.
As the returnees begin the process of rebuilding their lives, the RCCG’s intervention stands as a powerful example of faith-based humanitarian action. For the 107 Nigerians who returned home on Thursday, the nightmare of South Africa is over, and a new chapter has begun. For now, they are grateful to be alive and to be back in their homeland.
