ASABA – Delta State Governor, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, has approved a comprehensive welfare package for Deltans evacuated from South Africa following recent xenophobic attacks, including a ₦2 million grant for each affected family and monthly stipends to aid their rehabilitation and reintegration.
Under the package, each returnee will receive a monthly welfare stipend of ₦200,000, while every affected family will receive ₦300,000 monthly, beginning in August 2026 until the end of the governor’s first tenure on May 29, 2027.
Speaking during the reception for the returnees at the Unity Hall, Government House, Asaba, Governor Oborevwori, represented by his Chief of Staff, Hon. Johnson Erijo, condemned the xenophobic attacks, describing them as a grave violation of human dignity.
He stressed that no individual should be subjected to violence, intimidation or discrimination because of nationality, while expressing sympathy to the victims for the physical, emotional and financial losses they suffered.
The governor also commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his swift intervention, which facilitated the safe evacuation of the affected Nigerians from South Africa.
As part of the support package, Governor Oborevwori announced that all returnees would receive free medical screening at government-owned health facilities.
He also directed the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Services to provide trauma counselling and psychosocial support for the victims and their families.
Calling on Deltans to welcome the returnees with compassion and solidarity, the governor said the unfortunate incident should not define their future, reaffirming his administration’s commitment to creating opportunities for all citizens and protecting the rights and dignity of Nigerians living abroad.
Earlier, the Commissioner in charge of the Bureau for Special Duties, Hon. Ejiro Etacherure, assured the returnees of the state government’s commitment to helping them rebuild their lives, describing their safe return as evidence of compassionate leadership and effective collaboration between the federal and state governments.
He recalled that reports of the attacks, which claimed lives, destroyed property and livelihoods, and left many victims traumatised, were received with deep shock and sadness.
Etacherure thanked Governor Oborevwori for his prompt intervention and unwavering commitment to the welfare of the returnees, disclosing that the governor personally directed that every returning Deltan be identified, documented and received with dignity while relevant agencies were mobilised to support their reintegration.
Welcoming them home, he encouraged the returnees to take advantage of the state’s economic and empowerment opportunities, expressing confidence that Delta remains a land of opportunity under the Oborevwori administration.
Responding on behalf of the returnees, Mr. Jacob Agbada expressed profound appreciation to Governor Oborevwori for approving the ₦2 million grant and monthly stipends, describing the intervention as timely, compassionate and life-changing.
He thanked the governor for standing by them during one of the most difficult moments of their lives and pledged that the beneficiaries would make productive use of the support to rebuild their future.
