News

72 Displaced Families Benefit From Afri-mission’s Housing Programme

Published

2 months ago

May 18, 2026

Preport

By Funmilayo Adeyemi
No fewer than 72 displaced families in Abuja have benefited from a humanitarian housing intervention aimed at providing shelter and restoring dignity to victims of insurgency, banditry and communal crises.

The beneficiaries received the accommodation support during the official presentation ceremony of Afri-mission’s Rental Housing Support Programme (RHSP) for Displaced Christians on Monday.

The President of Afri- mission and Evangelism Network (AMEN), Oscar Amaechina, said the project was inspired by the need to assist vulnerable persons living in uncompleted buildings and informal settlements across the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the initiative was facilitated by AMEN, with support from the World Outreach Ministries International (WOMI) and the Ignited Church.

Amaechina explained that many displaced persons were outside official Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps, making them difficult to identify and assist.

He said the organisation conducted a needs assessment survey across communities in Abuja to locate displaced families lacking proper shelter.

“I was inspired by the Holy Spirit to check out on those who are living in uncompleted buildings, with special attention to those who are displaced from their original homes due to insurgency, terrorism, and banditry in Nigeria.

“And we decided to have a need assessment survey where we try as much as possible to go into some places in Abuja here, because unfortunately most of them are not in IDP camps, and nobody will identify them.

“So it took a lot of work before we can get in touch with these people. And when I was able to get a good number of them, we decided by administering food items to them so that they can eat food,” he said.

According to him, the intervention, which cost between N12 million and N13 million, covered rent payments ranging from one to two years for the beneficiaries.

“I decided to communicate this vision to a dear friend of ours who lives in Lavona, Georgia.

“She’s a pastor (Jennifer Faircloth) and the wife of my late mentor in the person of Pastor Benjanin Faircloth. And she bought into the idea and key into it, and they really helped us immensely to see that we are able to secure accommodation for 72 families.

“And today is the ceremony, and we have already handed some of the apartments to some of them, and the remaining ones we do it just this week.”

He added that the beneficiaries were selected from an existing database of over 3,000 vulnerable persons, including women and children affected by insecurity.

Amaechina stressed that the programme was non-religious, noting that both Christians and Muslims benefited from the initiative.

“We meet those going through difficulties and challenges, especially those who are displaced by a suggestion of terrorism, whether you are a Christian or Muslim or a pagan, whatever it is, it’s not about religion this time around.

“It’s about humanity. We usually help them, and that is what we did this time around,” he said.

To ensure sustainability, he disclosed that the organisation was constructing a skill acquisition centre where beneficiaries would receive vocational and entrepreneurial training.

The centre, he said, would offer training in tailoring, cosmetology, catering, ICT, shoe and bag making, as well as adult literacy education.

He explained that training would last between six months and one year, after which participants would be empowered with tools to become economically self-reliant.

“I won’t promise you that we’ll keep on paying rent for them annually. It will be very difficult for us.

“But to be sure that they will be able to generate income, what we plan to do is to empower them so that they will have means of generating income for themselves.

“So for this edifice, can you tell us what we are meant for? What kind of training will be going on here? Yes, if you can see it, we have three blocks here.

“This one is a chapel (Pastor Benjamin Faircloth Auditorium) where prayers will be going on regularly and discipleship. So we really, for here now, we have tailoring. Here we have cosmetology and beauty service.

“We have the catering and baking. We have the ICT and then we have bead, bag and shoe making. We also have a classroom for adult literacy,” he added.

“We cannot continue paying rent indefinitely, so the goal is to equip them with skills that will enable them to sustain themselves,” he said.

Amaechina added that more than 300 women had already benefited from empowerment programmes under the initiative.

He also said that about 200 out-of-students were selected and would be enrolled in schools by september 2026.

He, however, appealed to individuals and organisations to partner with the mission, noting that about N56 million would be required to fully equip the vocational training centre.

One of the beneficiaries, Mrs Rose Ejigbo, who fled violence in Kaduna State in 2014, expressed gratitude for the assistance.

Ejigbo said she had survived through menial jobs before receiving accommodation support, describing the intervention as life-changing.

Another beneficiary, Zainab Abdullahi, displaced by bandit attacks in Plateau State, said the support restored hope after years of hardship living in an uncompleted building.

Both beneficiaries called on government and well-meaning Nigerians to strengthen efforts toward peace, security and humanitarian support for displaced persons. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Ekemini Ladejobi

Related Topics:Afrimissions Benefit Displaced Families Housing Programme

Up Next

Mankilik Withdraws From Plateau Central APC Senatorial Primary, Calls for Unity

Don't Miss

Rising Ram Prices Spark Concern Ahead Of Sallah

Click to comment

News

Africa Must Control Its Resources, Trade — Shettima

Published

2 hours ago

July 24, 2026

Preport

Vice-President Kashim Shettima says African nations must take their rightful place in controlling the continent’s resources and global trade.

Shettima spoke on Friday in Cotonou, Republic of Benin, during a tour and assessment of the Glo-Djigbé Industrial Zone (GDIZ).

He said Africa must maximise its vast natural endowments by developing industries capable of processing raw materials into higher-value products.

The vice-president said Nigeria’s renewed industrialisation drive would leave no region behind, with the Federal Government working alongside subnational governments.

He expressed satisfaction with Benin’s efforts to achieve mass production and export of locally sourced resources.

Shettima regretted that Africa benefits from only about one per cent of the global cotton industry, valued at 370 billion dollars.

He said reviving Nigeria’s textile value chain could create millions of jobs, boost non-oil exports and stimulate economic activities nationwide.

The vice-president expressed his satisfaction after inspecting cotton, textile, cashew and soya bean oil production facilities at the industrial zone.

“We are here essentially at the behest of President Tinubu, in the spirit of his Renewed Hope Agenda, to see and peer-review global best practices,” he said.

Shettima said the visit would help Nigeria learn from Benin’s experience in creating integrated value chains for cotton, cashew and soya bean.

“We are setting up eight agro-industrial zones in eight states in our country,” he said.

He added that the GDIZ represented “an African success story where there is a whole chain of value addition in cotton, cashew and soya bean value chains.

“Be rest assured that we have learnt a lot of lessons through this visit, and we are going to replicate a lot of that in Nigeria.”

He said the Federal Government remained focused on making Nigeria one of the world’s industrialised nations under President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

The vice president was briefed on GDIZ’s structure, production capacity and investment potential by Benin’s Minister of Tourism and Foreign Trade.

The delegation inspected integrated textile and agro-processing facilities, where locally produced cotton is transformed into yarn, fabric and finished garments.

It also toured facilities processing cashew and other agricultural commodities for domestic consumption and export.

The visit formed part of Nigeria’s efforts to draw practical lessons from Benin’s success in linking agriculture with manufacturing.

It also focused on attracting private investment and transforming raw materials into higher-value finished products.

Shettima was accompanied by the governors of Kwara, Imo, Katsina, Plateau, Zamfara and Jigawa States.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Kamal Tayo Oropo

News

BREAKING: Nigeria’s Golden Grip Tightens! Riluwan Idris Powers to Heavyweight Gold as Team Nigeria’s Medal Haul Rises to Six in Glasgow

Published

4 hours ago

July 24, 2026

Preport

Team Nigeria’s dominance in para powerlifting at the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games continued in spectacular fashion on Friday night as Riluwan Idris powered his way to a magnificent gold medal in the Men’s Heavyweight event, extending Nigeria’s remarkable run at the SEC Armadillo.

Idris produced a commanding display throughout the competition, finishing with 132.8 points to clinch the Commonwealth title ahead of England’s Matthew Harding, who settled for silver with 131.0 points. Malaysia’s Nicodemus Manggoi Moses completed the podium with 120.3 points, while India’s Sudhir, the defending Commonwealth champion, finished fourth on 114.1 points.

The Nigerian strongman kept his composure under pressure, delivering when it mattered most to hand Team Nigeria yet another memorable victory in what has become an extraordinary opening day of competition.

Sports247, reporting from Glasgow, witnessed jubilant celebrations inside the SEC Armadillo as Nigerian coaches, teammates and supporters erupted after Idris was confirmed as the new Commonwealth champion. The victory further underlined Nigeria’s reputation as the undisputed powerhouse of Commonwealth para powerlifting—a status the nation has built over the years with consistent medal-winning performances.

Idris’ triumph came just hours after Folashade Oluwafemiayo shattered the world record to win the Women’s Heavyweight title, with Rita Ferdinand claiming silver. Earlier in the day, Esther Nworgu won gold with a Commonwealth Games record in the Women’s Lightweight event, Esther Oyema added silver, while Roland Ezuruike also secured silver in the Men’s Lightweight competition.

The latest success means Team Nigeria has now collected an astonishing six medals from para powerlifting alone on the opening day, once again proving why the country remains the benchmark in the sport at the Commonwealth Games.

Men’s Heavyweight Para Powerlifting – Final Standings

🥇 Riluwan Idris (Nigeria) – 132.8 points

🥈 Matthew Harding (England) – 131.0 points

🥉 Nicodemus Manggoi Moses (Malaysia) – 120.3 points

4️⃣ Sudhir (India) – 114.1 points

5️⃣ Tahiru Haruna (Ghana) – 112.0 points

DNF Bryan Junency Gustin (Malaysia)

Team Nigeria medal table – Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games

Medal Total

🥇 Gold 3
🥈 Silver 3
🥉 Bronze 0
Total 6

Nigeria’s medal winners

🥇 Riluwan Idris – Men’s Heavyweight Para Powerlifting (132.8 points)

🥇 Folashade Oluwafemiayo – Women’s Heavyweight Para Powerlifting (World Record)

🥈 Rita Ferdinand – Women’s Heavyweight Para Powerlifting (World Record)

🥇 Esther Nworgu – Women’s Lightweight Para Powerlifting (Commonwealth Games Record)

🥈 Esther Oyema – Women’s Lightweight Para Powerlifting

🥈 Roland Ezuruike – Men’s Lightweight Para Powerlifting

Sports247 Medal Watch

🥇 Gold: 3

🥈 Silver: 3

🥉 Bronze: 0

Overall: 6 medals

With three gold medals already secured and several medal events still to come, Team Nigeria has made an emphatic statement on the opening day in Glasgow, taking significant strides toward the National Sports Commission’s target of 16 to 20 gold medals. Sports247 will continue to bring readers breaking news, exclusive interviews and live reports as Nigeria’s pursuit of Commonwealth glory gathers momentum.