Officials from the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), and those from Adamawa and Borno states, on Monday, said about 90,000 Nigerian refugees in Cameroun ”are safe’’ and will soon return.
The officials brainstormed on Monday over plans to repatriate the refugees. The refugees, mostly from Borno, were displaced by the unending Boko Haram insurgency.
At the meeting in Yola, Adamawa State Commissioner of Information and Strategy, Ahmad Sajoh, said plans for their evacuation had reached an advanced stage.
“Necessary arrangements have been made by the Adamawa State Government to receive the refugees, who would pass through Adamawa transit camp from Minawawo camp in Cameroon. About 4,000 of the refugees are from Adamawa, and already, agreement had been reached with some communities here in Adamawa to host about 1,500 refugees from Borno, who have indicated that they would want to remain in Adamawa,’’ he said.
The commissioner, who did not give the date for the commencement of the evacuation, said the refugees would be airlifted by the Nigerian Air Force.
Also, the Borno delegation team leader, Kullima Kachalla, commended the government and people of Adamawa, “for the hospitality to the displaced persons from Borno; since the insurgency started.
“Borno government is committed to ensuring the success of the evacuation exercise,’’ Kachalla said.
In her remarks, at the meeting, head of UNHCR sub-office in Marwa, Cameroon, Mylene Ahounou, said: “The Commission is waiting for final authorisation from the central government of Cameroun to embark on the exercise.
“We urge the Nigerian government to also reach out to Cameroun, to facilitate action.”
A representative of the refugees, Ashigar Mohammed, said “We are eager to return home.” The UNHCR is a United Nations programme with the mandate to protect refugees forcibly displaced communities and stateless people, and assist in their voluntary repatriation, local integration or resettlement to a third country.
The Boko Haram insurgency in Northern Nigeria has led to about 100,000 deaths since 2009, according to the Borno State Government.