By Joy Odor
The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM) has received another set of fresh batch of 418 Nigerians from Saudi Arabia joined others on Wednesday bringing the total returnees to Nigeria to 1071 within three days.
The Chairman of NIDCOM, Mrs Abike Dabiri-Erewa who was represented at the event by the Head, Media and Public Relations, Mr Abdur-Rahman Balogun promised that everything will be done to make them comfortable in Nigeria.
She appeals to those still wishing to leave the country due to one challenge or the other to have a rethink especially if they do not have any job to do abroad to remain at home and think of what to do for themselves.
earlier, the Director, Consular and Legal Department in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bolaji Akinremi while leading inter-governmental agencies to receive the returnees said 255 and 398 returnees arrived Nigeria on Monday and Tuesday respectively.
Ambassador Akinremi said the reintegration exercise was made possible through the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr. Boss Mustapha, to create a smooth rehabilitation process for the returnees.
He commended all other agencies like NAPTIP, NIDCOM, NIMC, FCT Pilgrims Board and Public Health for their wonderful coordination alongside with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
According to him, the rapid testing method for Covid-19 detection was carried out while the returnees were profiled into states and gender.
As against previous arrangement where each of them will stay in the camp for seven to 14 days , he said the maximum number on camp is three days before they are released to go and meet their family members.
He assured the returnees that the accommodation at the camp has the basic amenities which include a 24-hour medical service to look into the welfare of the returnees before they are joined with their families.
The Ambassador said a token amount of N20,000 was given to each of the returnees for their transportation while free meals and toiletries were supplied to all of them.
Speaking in the same vein, the DG NAPTIP, Mrs Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, appreciated the efforts of the Saudi Arabia Government to liaise with its counterparts in Nigeria to enable a thorough operation of bringing Nigerians, in Saudi Arabia, home.
She said the Agency is equally profiling all the returnees and counselling them as part of the rehabilitation process.
It will be recalled that more than 1000 Nigerian returnees from Saudi Arabia were evacuated back to the country in January 2021.
