Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State has welcomed 112 indigenes who returned from South Africa following renewed xenophobic attacks.
The returnees comprise 77 families who were forced to leave South Africa amid concerns over attacks and hostility against black African migrants.
Mbah also approved ₦1 million for each of the 77 families, bringing the total financial support to ₦77 million.
The governor announced the intervention during a reception for the returnees at the International Conference Centre in Enugu on Thursday.
He was represented at the event by the Secretary to the Enugu State Government, Prof. Chidiebere Onyia.
The governor said the state would stand with the returnees as they rebuild their lives after returning home.
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Mbah condemned the reported attacks against black African migrants in parts of South Africa.
He acknowledged that some of the returnees may have left behind businesses, property, investments, friendships and years of work.
The governor said returning home under circumstances beyond their control could bring emotional and financial difficulties.
He therefore said the government’s responsibility should extend beyond simply receiving the returnees.
According to him, the focus should now shift toward helping them rebuild their lives in Enugu.
Mbah said the ₦1 million support approved for each family should serve as a starting point for that rebuilding process.
He stressed that the money should not be viewed as compensation for everything the returnees may have lost.
Instead, he described it as a deliberate expression of solidarity from the state government.
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Enugu Returnees From South Africa Receive ₦77m Support
The governor’s representative presented the financial support as part of efforts to assist the affected families.
Each of the 77 families received ₦1 million.
The state government is also profiling about 42 additional returnee families.
Mbah said the profiling exercise is being conducted in partnership with the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, NIDCOM.
The additional families could therefore receive further attention as the government continues its reintegration process.
The governor said his administration would explore other opportunities that could help the returnees establish themselves in Enugu.
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Mbah Urges Returnees to Start Again
Mbah urged the returnees not to lose hope because of the circumstances that brought them home.
He encouraged them to use the skills and experiences they gained in South Africa.
The governor said those experiences could become useful as the returnees explore opportunities in Enugu.
He specifically encouraged them to bring home the discipline, ideas, networks and entrepreneurial knowledge they acquired abroad.
He also urged them to apply their understanding of markets and technology to opportunities available in the state.
According to Mbah, the experience abroad should become part of a new chapter for the affected families.
He said the government wants the intervention to help move them from simply returning home to rebuilding at home.
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Governor Highlights Opportunities in Enugu
Mbah also highlighted ongoing efforts by his administration to improve conditions in Enugu.
He said the government is expanding infrastructure and improving connectivity across the state.
The governor also mentioned healthcare, education and human capital development as areas receiving attention.
He said opportunities were emerging in agriculture, tourism, technology, enterprise and industry.
Mbah encouraged the returnees to explore these areas as they begin rebuilding.
He also assured them that the state would continue looking for programmes and institutions that could support their reintegration.
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Returnees Say They Feel at Home
One of the returnees, Chidimma Ogbonna, thanked Mbah for welcoming them back to Enugu.
Ogbonna said the governor’s gesture had restored hope among the affected families.
She also expressed appreciation for the financial support provided by the state government.
According to her, the returnees felt accepted after receiving the welcome.
Another returnee, Cosmas Okwor, also thanked the governor for making them feel at home.
Okwor said the support had given the families renewed hope as they prepared to rebuild their lives.
The returnees also expressed optimism about settling back into their communities.
They cited improvements in infrastructure and security as factors that could support their resettlement.
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Traditional Ruler Urges Families to Move Forward
The Chairman of the Enugu State Council of Traditional Rulers, HRH Igwe Samuel Ikechukwu Asadu, also addressed the returnees.
Asadu encouraged them to pick up the pieces of their lives and move forward.
He urged the families to focus on the opportunities available to them after returning home.
The traditional ruler told them to position themselves to benefit from new opportunities.
He also encouraged them to remain hopeful as they rebuild.
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NIDCOM Commended for Supporting Returnees
Earlier, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Diaspora, Barr. Olangwa Ezekwu, welcomed the returnees to the state.
Ezekwu commended the Federal Government officials involved in facilitating the return of Nigerians from South Africa.
She specifically acknowledged the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Amb. Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu.
She also praised NIDCOM, led by Abike Dabiri-Erewa, for supporting efforts to bring Nigerians safely home.
Ezekwu thanked Governor Mbah for what she described as his fatherly support for the returnees.
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Government Begins Wider Reintegration Effort
The reception marks part of the state’s response to the return of Enugu indigenes from South Africa.
The government says about 42 additional families are still undergoing profiling.
That exercise is being carried out with NIDCOM to identify more returnees who may require assistance.
For the 77 families already received, the ₦77 million intervention provides immediate financial support.
Mbah also wants the returnees to use their skills and experiences to explore opportunities within Enugu.
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Mbah’s message centred on rebuilding after an unexpected return.
He acknowledged that some families may have lost businesses and investments because of their departure from South Africa.
However, he urged them not to discard the knowledge they gained abroad.
The governor said their experience could contribute to economic activities in their home state.
He mentioned entrepreneurship, technology, agriculture, markets and industry among possible areas of opportunity.
The state government also said it would continue exploring ways to connect the returnees with relevant programmes.
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Support Comes Amid Concerns Over Xenophobia
The return of the Enugu indigenes follows concerns over renewed hostility toward African migrants in parts of South Africa.
The governor described the attacks as condemnable.
He said the circumstances surrounding the return meant the affected families needed more than a formal reception.
Mbah said the financial intervention was designed to provide a starting point.
He also encouraged the returnees to see their home state as a place where they can rebuild.
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Mbah Promises Continued Solidarity
The governor assured the families that Enugu State would remain in solidarity with them.
He said the government would continue looking for ways to connect them with institutions and opportunities.
The administration also wants the returnees to contribute their knowledge to the state’s development.
Mbah said the goal is to transform their return into an opportunity for rebuilding.
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Returnees Express Hope for New Beginning
Ogbonna and Okwor both expressed appreciation for the reception.
Their comments reflected the relief of returning to a familiar environment after leaving South Africa.
They also expressed optimism about rebuilding their lives in Enugu.
The families said the state’s infrastructure and security improvements could make their resettlement easier.
The government, meanwhile, has positioned the ₦1 million grant as an initial step toward that process.
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State Continues Diaspora Engagement
The intervention also highlights the role of the Enugu State Government’s diaspora office.
Ezekwu’s office worked with relevant stakeholders around the returnees’ reintegration.
She acknowledged federal officials involved in supporting the safe return of Nigerians.
The state government is also working with NIDCOM to profile more affected families.
That process is expected to provide a clearer picture of the number of Enugu indigenes returning from South Africa.
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₦77m Intervention Targets 77 Families
The financial assistance approved by Mbah totals ₦77 million.
Each of the 77 families represented at the reception received ₦1 million.
The governor described the money as a seed fund rather than compensation.
He said the support cannot replace businesses, properties or investments that some returnees may have left behind.
Instead, the intervention aims to provide an initial foundation for starting again.
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Focus Shifts to Rebuilding in Enugu
The Enugu returnees now face the task of rebuilding after their experiences in South Africa.
Mbah urged them to use their knowledge and networks to identify new opportunities.
He also promised that the state would continue exploring programmes that could assist their reintegration.
The additional 42 families undergoing profiling may also be considered as the state expands its response.
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Conclusion
Governor Peter Mbah has welcomed 112 Enugu returnees from South Africa after renewed xenophobic attacks forced them to return home.
The 112 indigenes belong to 77 families, with each family receiving ₦1 million from the state government.
Mbah urged the returnees to use their skills, experiences and networks to rebuild their lives in Enugu.
The governor also assured them of continued government support and solidarity.
Meanwhile, the state is profiling about 42 additional families with the support of NIDCOM.
The returnees thanked the governor for the reception and financial assistance, saying they now feel at home and hopeful about starting again.
