Governor unveils welfare package, free healthcare and trauma support for victims of recent xenophobic attacks.
Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, has approved a comprehensive support package for Deltans evacuated from South Africa following the recent xenophobic attacks, including a ₦2 million grant for each affected family and monthly welfare payments to aid their reintegration.
Under the package, each returnee will receive a monthly stipend of ₦200,000, while every affected family will be paid ₦300,000 monthly. The payments will begin in August 2026 and continue until the end of the governor’s first term on May 29, 2027.
Speaking during a reception for the returnees at the Unity Hall, Government House, Asaba, Governor Oborevwori, represented by his Chief of Staff, Johnson Erijo, condemned the attacks, describing them as an assault on human dignity.
He sympathised with the victims over the physical, emotional and economic hardships they suffered and commended President Bola Tinubu for facilitating the safe evacuation of the affected Nigerians.
The governor also announced free medical examinations for all returnees at state-owned hospitals and directed the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Services to provide trauma counselling and psychosocial support for the victims and their families.
Oborevwori urged Deltans to receive the returnees with compassion and unity, assuring them that the painful experience would not define their future. He reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to creating opportunities for residents while advocating continued protection of Nigerians living abroad.
Commissioner overseeing the Bureau for Special Duties, Ejiro Etacherure, said the state government remained committed to helping the returnees rebuild their lives, describing their safe return as a product of effective collaboration between the federal and state governments.
He disclosed that Governor Oborevwori directed that every returnee be properly identified, documented and supported to ensure a smooth reintegration into society.
Responding on behalf of the returnees, Jacob Agbada expressed gratitude to the governor for approving the ₦2 million grant and monthly stipends, describing the intervention as timely, compassionate and life-changing.