The Delta State Government has unveiled a robust welfare and reintegration package for Deltans evacuated from South Africa following the recent wave of xenophobic attacks, with Governor Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori approving a ₦2 million grant for each affected family and monthly stipends to help victims rebuild their lives.
The package, announced on Friday at the Unity Hall, Government House, Asaba, also provides ₦200,000 monthly for every individual returnee and ₦300,000 monthly for each affected family. The stipends will commence in August 2026 and run until May 29, 2027, the end of the governor’s first tenure.
Represented by his Chief of Staff, Hon. Johnson Erijo, Governor Oborevwori described the attacks on Nigerians in South Africa as “a gross violation of human dignity,” insisting that no one should be subjected to violence or discrimination because of their nationality.
He expressed sympathy with the victims, many of whom reportedly lost relatives, businesses and other means of livelihood during the attacks, assuring them that the state government would stand firmly behind them as they begin a new chapter.
The governor also commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for facilitating the evacuation of the affected Nigerians, describing the Federal Government’s intervention as timely and decisive.
Beyond the financial support, Oborevwori announced a series of measures designed to ease the returnees’ transition back into society.
These include free medical examinations at state-owned hospitals as well as trauma counselling and psychosocial support to be coordinated by the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Services.
Addressing the returnees, the governor urged them not to allow the painful experience define their future, while calling on residents of the state to receive them with compassion and solidarity.
He reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to protecting the welfare of Deltans at home and abroad and pledged to continue creating opportunities that would enable citizens to thrive.
Earlier, the Commissioner in charge of the Bureau for Special Duties, Hon. Ejiro Etacherure, said the reports of the xenophobic attacks, which claimed lives and destroyed property, were received with shock across the state.
He disclosed that Governor Oborevwori immediately directed that all returning Deltans be identified, documented and provided with the necessary assistance to facilitate their reintegration into society.
Etacherure said the intervention reflected the governor’s people-centred approach to governance and encouraged the returnees to take advantage of the state’s empowerment and economic opportunities to rebuild their lives.
Speaking on behalf of the beneficiaries, Mr. Jacob Agbada described the governor’s intervention as “timely and life-changing,” saying the financial support would provide hope and a fresh start for families affected by the attacks.
He thanked the Delta State Government for what he described as an unprecedented display of compassion, noting that the gesture had restored confidence in the future of the returnees.
