Adeboye Welcomes 105 Nigerians Repatriated From South Africa Through RCCG Initiative

General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Pastor Enoch Adeboye, has welcomed 105 Nigerians who recently returned from South Africa under a humanitarian repatriation initiative funded by the church.

Adeboye, in a post on X on Friday, expressed gratitude for the safe return of the Nigerians and prayed for their successful reunion with their families.

“Welcome home beloved 105 citizens of Nigeria who have just safely arrived from South Africa,” Adeboye wrote.

The returnees are part of a larger group of at least 500 Nigerians expected to be brought back to the country under the humanitarian intervention, following an appeal from the Nigerian diplomatic mission in South Africa.

The first batch arrived at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, on Thursday night. The RCCG is funding their air transportation from Johannesburg to Lagos, while relevant government agencies are handling reception, profiling and onward movement.

Pastor Belemina Obunge, Chairman of the RCCG Task Force for the Reception of Nigerian Returnees from South Africa, said the beneficiaries were profiled and documented by the Nigerian High Commission in South Africa and the South African Home Affairs authorities.

Obunge stressed that the repatriation was not limited to RCCG members, noting that Nigerians from different religious backgrounds were among the beneficiaries.

“They are Muslims, Christians, all religions. And we are intentional in making sure that we have collaborated with the various government agencies,” he said.

Officials from the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI) received the returnees at the airport, where profiling commenced. The returnees are expected to be transported to their respective state capitals after the exercise.

Adeboye said the church would continue to pray for the returnees while the government completes the necessary processes for their reunification with their families.