Cameroon repatriates 5,000 Nigerian refugees

Cameroonian officials, led by Minister for Territorial Administration, Paul Atanga Nji, have repatriated over 5,000 Nigerian refugees to the north-eastern Borno State.

According to a statement on the Facebook page of Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum, the handing over took place on Monday in Amchiide, a border community between Nigeria and Cameroon, close to Banki in Bama Local Government Area of Borno central.

The handover ceremony was attended by top officials from Cameroon, including the Governor of the Far North Region, Midjiyawa Bakary, and officials of the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR).

Photo: @govborno

The statement added that the returnees were part of thousands of Nigerians, mostly from Borno, who since 2014, fled in batches to Minawao camp located in Mokolo, far north region of Cameroon, to escape Boko Haram’s killings.

“Cameroonian Minister for Territorial Administration, Paul Atanga Nji Paul, announced that President Paul Biya had approved a big relief package which included food items, mattresses, blankets, and other non-food items for distribution to all 5,000 returnees as support.

“The Minister commended Governor Zulum for constructing homes where the refugees were to be resettled.

“Governor Zulum had approved funds and supervised the ongoing construction of over 6,000 urban and low-cost resettlement houses sited in Banki, Gwoza, Kondugu, Kaga, and different others, with a substantial number already completed. Majority of them are used for resettlement of refugees and internally displaced persons,” the statement added.

Zulum in response thanked the Cameroonian President, other officials, and host communities, for taking good care of Nigerian refugees in the last six years. The governor also appreciated the donation made by President Biya.

© NAN