The Edo State Government has strengthened support for stranded returnees through rehabilitation, reintegration, and empowerment programmes aimed at helping them rebuild their lives.
The Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Mrs Eugenia Abdallah, disclosed this in an interview with reporters on Monday in Benin.
Abdallah said the ministry usually provides temporary shelter, medical care, psychosocial support, skills acquisition training, and business empowerment for stranded persons, particularly women and other vulnerable groups.
She added that the government collaborates with partners, including the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), the European Union (EU), and the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), to strengthen reintegration efforts and discourage irregular migration.
According to her, the state’s reintegration programme provides care, protection, and opportunities for returnees who need assistance.
She explained that beneficiaries are enrolled in vocational and entrepreneurial training programmes to equip them with skills for successful reintegration into society.
The commissioner said the ministry also rehabilitates vulnerable women rescued from the streets, victims of human trafficking, and other vulnerable persons through medical care, counselling, and — where possible — family reunification.
She cited the case of Miss Elizabeth Pius, a pregnant returnee from Côte d’Ivoire, as one of the beneficiaries of the ministry’s intervention.
Pius, an indigene of Akwa Ibom, travelled to Côte d’Ivoire in search of greener pastures but was abandoned. She was later returned to Nigeria after her employer discovered she was pregnant.
According to Abdallah, Pius arrived in Benin without accommodation or means of survival and sought assistance from the ministry.
The ministry took responsibility for her welfare, provided antenatal care, and supported her throughout the pregnancy.
“We facilitated a successful Caesarean Section, and today both mother and baby are healthy,” she said.
Abdallah reaffirmed the commitment of Governor Monday Okpebholo’s administration to protecting vulnerable persons and ensuring they receive the support needed to reintegrate successfully into society.
She advised Nigerians, particularly young people, to avoid irregular migration and to seek accurate information and legitimate pathways before travelling abroad.
