The Chairman/CEO, Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, (NIDCOM), Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa says the Second Batch of 314 Voluntary Nigerian Returnees from South Africa arrived Lagos safely on board Air Peace airlines on Wednesday
The Chairman NIDCOM, stated this while briefing the Senate Committee on Diaspora and NGOs in Abuja on Thursday.
Dabiri-Erewa informed the lawmakers that out of the 314) returnees, 199 are Males, 108 Females and 98 are Minors. The actual figure of those that arrived Nigeria were 314 while 5 Returnees had consular issues , and could not be airlifted
The NIDCOM Chairman said that the Commission has profiled all the returnees and written to various State governments affected to help re-integrate and empower them effectively as a matter of urgency
She told the Deputy Chairman, Senate Committee on Diaspora and NGOs, Sen. Ibrahim Oloriegbe who received NIDCOM Delegation, that the Returnees are in good health and grateful to President Buhari for his prompt directive that Nigerians willing to return voluntarily should be brought back
They also expressed deep gratitude to the Chairman of Air Peace Airlines , Chief Allen Onyema,for a show of patriotism and brotherhood and thanked the Nigerian Consul General . Mr Godwin Adama for effective coordination of the returnees .
The NIDCOM Chairman thanked Service providers . Mtn and Airtel for giving the returnees telephones and massive airtime , Bank of Industry for providing soft loans, Nema for its services and financial support, Louismed for providing medical checkup , and the Diaspora innovation institute for providing counseling and offer of entrepreneurship training , in partnership with the Centre for Management development
She further called on Nigerians to support the returnees, in any way they can , adding that the Lagos State Governor , Babajide Sanwo olu , gave #20,000 each to the second batch returnees .
She assured the Senate Committee on Diaspora and NGOs that the Commission will work assiduously with Nigerian Communities and groups to create awareness and enlightenment programmes that will foster cultural exchanges.
While thanking States who have reached out to their indigenes, the Chairman appealed to all those who haven’t to do so .
Meanwhile, an analysis of State by State Returnees is hereby attached.
