Adeboye welcomes returning Nigerians as RCCG begins South Africa repatriation

General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, has welcomed Nigerians brought home from South Africa under a humanitarian repatriation programme funded by the church.

Adeboye said in a post on X that 105 Nigerians had safely returned and thanked God for their journey home.

The returnees form the first batch of at least 500 Nigerians expected to be transported from Johannesburg to Lagos under the RCCG intervention.

The programme followed an appeal from Nigeria’s diplomatic mission in South Africa for assistance in helping Nigerians who wanted to return home.

RCCG is funding their air transportation, while government agencies are handling reception, profiling and onward movement to their respective states.

Officials from the National Emergency Management Agency and the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons were among agencies involved in receiving the returnees.

RCCG Task Force chairman Pastor Belemina Obunge said the programme was approved by Adeboye on humanitarian grounds and was not restricted to members of the church.

He said beneficiaries included Nigerians from different religious backgrounds.

There is a minor discrepancy in publicly reported figures for the first flight. Adeboye referred to 105 returnees, while an earlier Punch report said 107 Nigerians arrived at Murtala Muhammed International Airport.

The wider programme is expected to continue in batches until the targeted returnees have been transported home.