The Oyo State Government has received 70 indigenes evacuated from South Africa following xenophobic attacks targeting foreigners in the country, assuring them of support for their reintegration into society.
The returnees, comprising 42 adults and 28 minors, were formally received by the Executive Assistant to Governor Seyi Makinde on Migration and Homeland Security, Assistant Controller General of Immigration (ACG) Segun Adegoke (rtd), during an engagement held at the Conference Room of the Office of the Secretary to the State Government in Ibadan.
Addressing the returnees, Adegoke, who represented the state government, assured them that their return should not be regarded as a failure or the end of their journey.
He said the state government was committed to helping them rebuild their lives and become productive members of their communities.
“You are welcome home. You have returned to your state, to your families, to your communities and to people who recognise you as their own,” he said.
Adegoke said the government understood the difficult circumstances surrounding their return, including loss of livelihood, emotional distress and disruption of businesses and future plans.
“This is why His Excellency, the Executive Governor, has directed that your welfare and successful reintegration should receive the attention of the state government,” he said.
He explained that the government was engaging the returnees individually to assess their circumstances, health conditions, skills and experiences acquired abroad in order to determine areas where appropriate assistance could be provided.
“The government does not regard your return as the end of your journey. Rather, we regard it as the beginning of a new chapter,” Adegoke said.
He urged the returnees to be open during the assessment process, stressing that their experiences abroad could be valuable to the development of the state.
“I wish to remind you that your experience abroad is not necessarily a disadvantage. Many of you have acquired skills, knowledge, networks, exposure and entrepreneurial experience that can be valuable to Oyo State,” he said.
According to him, the state government would provide an enabling environment for the returnees to regain their footing and contribute meaningfully to their communities.
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Adegoke also warned young people against irregular migration, stressing that migration itself was not the problem but the unsafe and illegal routes through which some Nigerians travel abroad.
“Migration, as a global phenomenon, can provide opportunities, but it can also expose people to risks and uncertainties. Please do not allow frustration to push you into irregular migration or other dangerous activities,” he said.
He said the Office of Migration and Homeland Security would continue to engage young people through advocacy and awareness programmes on safe, orderly and regular migration.
Adegoke further encouraged youths seeking opportunities abroad to acquire relevant skills that could improve their chances of accessing legal migration opportunities in countries with available migration quotas.
“The government will continue to support safe, orderly and regular migration while also creating opportunities for our people to prosper here at home,” he added.
The returnees also underwent basic medical screening, including blood pressure and blood sugar checks, as part of efforts to ascertain their immediate health needs.
Some of the evacuees who shared their experiences described their return from South Africa as painful, given the circumstances that forced them to leave the country.
Adegoke, however, assured them that the state government had not abandoned them, saying their welfare and future remained important to the administration.
“Oyo State has not forgotten you. You are sons and daughters of this state. Your welfare, experience and future matter to this administration,” he said.
He added that the engagement was not merely an administrative exercise but an opportunity for government and citizens to jointly identify practical solutions to the challenges facing the returnees.
Representatives of the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Inclusion, Oyo State Emergency Management Agency and Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters, among others, attended the meeting.
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