Ogun tops list of South Africa returnees

Ogun state has the highest number of returnees from South Africa, the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM) has revealed.

Speaking at a media briefing on Monday, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, CEO of the commission, said 30 of the 187 returnees are from Ogun – the highest number; 28 are from Imo – the second highest number, while 23 are from Oyo – the third highest number.

She said Kogi and Benue have the least number of one each.

According to Dabiri-Erewa, seven returnees are from Abia state; 13 from Anambra; 15 from Delta; two from Ebonyi; 13 from Edo; six from Ekiti; seven from Enugu; three from Kwara; seven from Lagos; six from Osun and six from Ondo.

She said the returnees were profiled according to their states, adding that she expects the governors to take responsibility for them.

She also said the list containing details of the returnees will be forwarded to the various states to ensure proper reintegration.

“I am going to stressed one thing, those who returned are not criminals, in fact they are very hardworking Nigerians and have lost everything they have ever worked for in South Africa,’’ she said.

“So their only crime is being black and being Nigerian. We had father’s separated from their children, we have a widow with four children who just had to come back home. They are already offers for scholarships for her children.”

Dabiri-Erewa also said 319 citizens will be returning to the country from South Africa on Tuesday evening.

President Muhammadu Buhari had ordered the evacuation of Nigerians from South Africa in the wake of the xenophobic attacks on foreign nationals in that country.

Air Peace, a Nigerian carrier, offered to airlift Nigerians willing to return to the country at no cost.

Last Wednesday, the first of batch of returnees arrived in Nigeria.