Oyo Receives 70 Nigerians Evacuated From South Africa After Xenophobic Attacks, Begins Reintegration

The Oyo State Government has received 70 indigenes evacuated from South Africa following xenophobic attacks and other difficult conditions affecting Nigerians and other foreign nationals, with plans underway to help them rebuild their lives.

The returnees, comprising 42 adults and 28 minors, were formally received in Ibadan by the Executive Assistant to Governor Seyi Makinde on Migration and Homeland Security, ACG Segun Adegoke (rtd), on behalf of the state government.

Adegoke said the government would not view the returnees’ evacuation as a failure or the end of their journey. Instead, he described their return as the start of a new phase, assuring them that the state remained committed to their welfare and successful reintegration.

He said the government was assessing the individual circumstances of the returnees, including their health, skills, businesses and other needs, to determine how best to support them. The returnees had also undergone basic medical checks, including blood pressure and blood sugar screening.

Adegoke urged the returnees to openly share their experiences during the assessment process. He said skills, knowledge, networks and entrepreneurial experience acquired in South Africa could become useful assets for their communities and the wider development of Oyo State.

The governor’s aide also warned young Nigerians against taking dangerous or irregular routes while seeking opportunities abroad. He stressed that migration itself was not the problem, but unsafe and irregular migration could expose people to serious risks.

He said the Oyo State Office of Migration and Homeland Security was continuing advocacy programmes to promote safe, orderly and regular migration. The office was also sensitising young people about legitimate migration opportunities and encouraging them to acquire skills that could improve their chances of accessing legal migration channels.

Some of the returnees described their evacuation as painful, particularly because they had to leave behind businesses, livelihoods and plans. The state government, however, said it would continue working with them to ensure their return becomes a foundation for a safer, more productive and economically secure future.