The Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) has started evacuating about 500 Nigerians from South Africa, with the first batch of 100 returnees arriving in Lagos on Thursday night. They arrived at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, from Johannesburg at about 8:30 p.m. The returnees were received by officials of the RCCG alongside representatives of government agencies, including the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI).
The RCCG's humanitarian intervention was approved by the General Overseer of the RCCG, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, after appeals for assistance for Nigerians who were stranded or required to leave South Africa. The church is funding the air transportation of the returnees from Johannesburg to Lagos, while government agencies are responsible for their reception, profiling and movement to their various destinations. The exercise will continue in batches as the necessary documentation and clearance processes are completed.
The RCCG had committed $265,854 towards the evacuation and repatriation of distressed Nigerians from South Africa. The intervention aims to provide immediate relief and safe passage for Nigerians affected by the situation in South Africa. Chairman of the RCCG Task Force for the Reception of Nigerian Returnees from South Africa, Pastor Belemina Obunge, said the church's responsibility is primarily the funding of the airlift, while relevant government institutions will take over the returnees once they arrive in Nigeria.
The people being evacuated were not selected because they were members of the RCCG, but were identified by the Nigerian diplomatic mission in South Africa and the South African authorities. Obunge explained that the intervention was open to Nigerians irrespective of their religious background. The Nigerian High Commission in South Africa is working with Home Affairs in South Africa, doing the profiling and documentation. Those who go through that process are being brought home.
The returnees will undergo profiling to establish their identities and destinations before being moved to their respective states. A NEMA official indicated that the returnees would be transported to their respective state capitals after the completion of the profiling process. Obunge said the RCCG task force was present at the airport not only to receive the Nigerians but also to provide them with encouragement and facilitate their handover to the appropriate government authorities.
The RCCG chairman appealed to state governments to take responsibility for their citizens returning from South Africa. Some state governments have already started making arrangements for their citizens, while urging others to do the same. The intervention comes amid renewed concerns over the treatment and safety of Nigerians and other African nationals in South Africa. The issue has recently attracted attention from the Nigerian government and lawmakers following reports of xenophobic and Afrophobic attacks affecting Nigerians and other foreign nationals.
The RCCG team provided food packs to the returnees after their arrival at the airport and will continue to support them through the initial stages of their arrival. Obunge described the arrival of the first group as the beginning of a new phase for the Nigerians involved. More Nigerians will be brought back as the diplomatic and administrative procedures are completed.
Key points
- The RCCG has committed $265,854 towards the evacuation and repatriation of distressed Nigerians from South Africa.
- The evacuation exercise will continue in batches as the necessary documentation and clearance processes are completed.
- The intervention is open to Nigerians irrespective of their religious background.
