The General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, has welcomed Nigerians recently repatriated from South Africa under the church’s humanitarian intervention.
Adeboye, in a post on X on Friday, said 105 Nigerians had safely returned from South Africa, thanking God for their safe journey home.
He wrote, “Welcome home beloved 105 citizens of Nigeria who have just safely arrived from South Africa.”
The development followed the arrival of the first batch of Nigerians whose air transportation from Johannesburg to Lagos is being funded by the RCCG.
PUNCH Online had reported that 107 Nigerians arrived at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos, on Thursday night.
The returnees are the first batch of at least 500 Nigerians expected to be repatriated under the humanitarian intervention, which followed an appeal from the Nigerian diplomatic mission in South Africa.
Adeboye said the church would continue to pray for the returnees while the government completes the processes required to reunite them with their families.
He added, “We are grateful to God for helping us make your safe return possible. We shall continue to pray for you as the Government continues with what remains to ensure you reunite with your families. God bless you all.”
The Chairman of the RCCG Task Force for the Reception of Nigerian Returnees from South Africa, Pastor Belemina Obunge, had said Adeboye approved the funding for the air transportation of the Nigerians on humanitarian grounds.
Obunge said the returnees were Nigerians who had been profiled and documented by the Nigerian High Commission in South Africa and the South African Home Affairs authorities.
He stressed that the beneficiaries were not selected based on their membership of the RCCG, adding that Nigerians of different faiths were included.
“They are Muslims, Christians, all religions. And we are intentional in making sure that we have collaborated with the various government agencies,” he said.
The RCCG is funding the air transportation from Johannesburg to Lagos, while government agencies are responsible for receiving the returnees and coordinating their onward movement.
Officials of the National Emergency Management Agency and the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons were among those who received the returnees at the airport, after which profiling commenced.
The returnees are expected to be transported to their respective state capitals after the profiling exercise.
Obunge said the repatriation would continue in batches because of the documentation and clearance processes in South Africa.
He also urged Nigerians still stranded in the country to approach the Nigerian diplomatic mission for assistance with their documentation.
(Punch)
