By Rev. Sr. Priscilla Chidinma Ogbonna, HHCJ
The Catholic Diocese of Bomadi officially launched its Migrants and Refugees Unit on 3 December 2025 at St. Matthias Catholic Church, Amarata-Yenagoa, Bayelsa State. The event marked the commencement of the Unit’s mandate to protect and support migrants, refugees, and displaced persons across the Diocese.
In her welcome address, the Coordinator of the Unit, Rev. Sr. Priscilla Chidinma Ogbonna, HHCJ, outlined the Unit’s key objectives. These include collaborating with relevant authorities to advocate for the human rights of migrants and refugees, providing spiritual, emotional, and material assistance to those in need, raising public awareness on safe and regular migration, and combating human trafficking through community sensitisation.
The Vicar-General of the Diocese, Very Rev. Fr. Joseph Opelama, who represented the Bishop, Most Rev. Dr. Hyacinth Egbebo, MSP welcomed the guests on behalf of the Bishop and thanked them for partnering with the Unit.
The Chairman of the event, Sir Dr. Massa Ebimoghan, expressed his delight for being part of the launch of such an important initiative. According to him, the initiative seeks to address the plights and sufferings of people affected by inadequate government policies.
The keynote address was delivered by Barr. Christopher Denedo, ESQ, a legal practitioner and notary public. He highlighted that migration is an age-old phenomenon, citing the biblical expulsion of Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden. He emphasised that despite the challenges associated with migration, the rights and dignity of migrants and refugees must always be upheld.
A key moment of the event was the inauguration of the Pastoral Agents from different parishes in the Diocese by the Vicar-General. The Unit’s guidelines and policy framework were also formally presented to them to provide a clear structure for the work ahead.
The event attracted a wide range of dignitaries and stakeholders, including the Chancellor of the Diocese, Very Rev. Dr. Kingsley Ogbejeje; the Director of the Justice Development and Peace Commission (JDPC), Very Rev. Fr. Zachariah Fufeyin; priests and religious; the representative of the Anglican Bishop; members of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Bayelsa State; HRH David Sam Egbo (Ogbiya X), paramount ruler of Amarata community; representatives from the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), the Nigerian Red Cross Society, and the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS). Also present were members of the Network Against Child Trafficking, Abuse and Labour (NACTAL), the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), the Dise-Ogbise Foundation, the State Ministry of Transport, the Association of Women Against Gender-Based Violence, the Arewa community in Bayelsa State, Bakassi returnees, legal practitioners, the media, and other invited guests.
The launch of the Migrants and Refugees Unit is part of the broader efforts and commitment by the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) to foster safe migration, protection for vulnerable populations, and collaboration with government agencies and civil society organisations to care for displaced persons and combat human trafficking.