IYAMIDR COMMENDS EDO STATE GOVERNOR MONDAY OKPEBHOLO FOR ₦1M SUPPORT TO SOUTH AFRICA RETURNEES, HAILS LEADERSHIP ON MIGRATION, SECURITY AND HUMAN DIGNITY*

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*IYAMIDR COMMENDS EDO STATE GOVERNOR MONDAY OKPEBHOLO FOR ₦1M SUPPORT TO SOUTH AFRICA RETURNEES, HAILS LEADERSHIP ON MIGRATION, SECURITY AND HUMAN DIGNITY*  

Benin City, Edo State - July 13th, 2026  

The Initiative for Youth Awareness on Migration, Immigration, Development and Reintegration (IYAMIDR) commends the Governor of Edo State, Senator Monday Okpebholo, for his decisive and compassionate response to the 41 Edo indigenes evacuated from South Africa following the recent xenophobic attacks in Pretoria and Johannesburg.  

You will recall that on the 4th of May, 2026, IYAMIDR issued a comprehensive press release on the safety of Nigerians in South Africa. In that statement we urged the Federal Government and all state governments to urgently prepare to receive their citizens and put in place structured reintegration support to help returnees regain stability and dignity.  

Today, we are glad to see that call translated into action.  

Governor Okpebholo, while receiving the returnees at the Government House in Benin City, announced a support package of ₦1,000,000 for each of the 41 returnees to help them secure accommodation. The Governor further pledged the provision of soft loans to enable them start businesses and rebuild their livelihoods.  

In their words captured in the video _“They Took Our Husbands, They Took Our Shops, Our Cars And All We Worked For”_, the returnees recounted their losses and expressed appreciation for the Governor’s intervention. The Governor assured them that Edo remains a safe place to live and encouraged them to see this moment as a fresh start.  

*IYAMIDR’s Position*  

This is governance with a human face. By matching words with action, Governor Okpebholo has set a standard for sub-national leadership on migration and reintegration.  

The international community is taking note of the efforts of the Edo State Government in addressing the challenges associated with both regular and irregular migration. When the duty called, Governor Okpebholo answered passionately.  

We specifically commend:  
1. *Immediate Financial Support*: The ₦1m grant per returnee addresses urgent needs for housing and resettlement.  
2. *Livelihood Restoration*: The pledge of soft loans aligns with our recommendation for skills-to-livelihood linkage for returnees.  
3. *Dignity and Belonging*: The Governor’s public reception affirms that returnees are citizens coming home, not burdens.  
4. *Leadership on Security*: The Governor is also leading in drastically reducing cultism and kidnapping in Edo State. He is the first at the sub-national level to confront these issues head-on with a unique approach that is now driving both national and international conversation.  

History will be kind to Governor Okpebholo for leading Edo State with empathy and humility. The world is watching, and proactive actions like this are being documented.  

*Call to Action*  

IYAMIDR urges the Federal Government and other state governors to borrow a leaf from Edo State. The burden of reintegration cannot rest on the Federal Government alone. States must:  
- Set up state-level reintegration desks as recommended in our May 4th statement  
- Provide immediate relief, housing support, and livelihood packages tailored to returnees from their states  
- Partner with CSOs and agencies like NEMA, NCFRMI, SMEDAN, and NDE for coordinated support and monitoring  

*Our Commitment*  
IYAMIDR remains ready to work with the Edo State Government, the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and other stakeholders to provide awareness, counseling, and reintegration programming. We have the grassroots network and experience to ensure this evacuation becomes a dignified return and not a cycle of vulnerability.  

We thank Governor Senator Monday Okpebholo. Sir, Edo is proud of you.  

Signed, 
*Comrade Solomon Okoduwa*  
Executive Director  
Initiative For Youth Awareness on Migration, Immigration, Development and Reintegration (IYAMIDR) Nigeria  
July 13th, 2026

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