Founder and General Overseer of Omega Power Ministries (OPM), Apostle Chibuzor Gift Chinyere, has offered free accommodation and welfare support to Nigerians displaced by renewed xenophobic attacks in South Africa.
The cleric disclosed this on Friday at his residence in the Government Reserved Area, Port Harcourt, stating that he had already secured and paid for a mini estate to accommodate affected Nigerians willing to return home.
According to him, the decision followed a viral video showing a Nigerian allegedly beaten to death during recent xenophobic violence in South Africa.
“I watched a video last week of how a Nigerian living in South Africa was beaten to death by a South African. I could not sleep since that day. Because of that, I told my agent to look for a house, and they found one. I have paid for it today. It is a mini estate,” he said.
Apostle Chinyere noted that the renewed attacks had left many Nigerians living in fear, with businesses destroyed and families uncertain about their future.
Beyond accommodation, he promised additional welfare support, including daily feeding, business support for women, and free education for children of the returnees.
“Your life, your wife and your children are important. We will feed you once per day while you are living in the free estate. For your wife, we will start a small business for her. For your children, we will enrol all of them in one of the OPM 43 free schools to continue their education,” he stated.
The OPM founder acknowledged that many Nigerians abroad hesitate to return home because they fear starting over without homes, jobs, or financial support.
“I am aware that all your businesses, all your houses, everything is in South Africa, so you are coming back with nothing. But by the grace of God, we will support you. We will teach you skills. We have a multi-skills acquisition centre where we can equip you for a new beginning,” he added.
He encouraged affected Nigerians not to lose hope despite the hardship caused by the attacks.
“All hope is not lost. It does not matter what you are going through in South Africa, it is not over for you. You will bounce back. God will restore you,” he said.
Apostle Chinyere also appealed to the Federal Government to assist willing returnees with flight tickets back to Nigeria, explaining that the church could not shoulder the additional financial burden because of its ongoing humanitarian programmes.
He further called on Air Peace to deploy an aircraft to evacuate stranded Nigerians from South Africa free of charge.
The cleric recalled that his ministry had previously intervened in several humanitarian cases, including relocating the family of late Deborah Samuel to Port Harcourt after her killing sparked nationwide outrage.
According to him, the ministry purchased a 14-unit mini estate for the family, established a business for her parents, and awarded scholarships to her siblings.
He added that OPM currently operates 43 tuition-free schools, two specialist hospitals offering free healthcare, 18 free housing estates, and a skills acquisition centre funded through church tithes and offerings.
The cleric also disclosed that the ministry has awarded over 10,000 scholarships to indigent Nigerians both locally and internationally.
