705 Nigerian Refugees Return Home to Banki from Camerooon

A second group of 705 Nigerian refugees has returned from Cameroon to Banki town in Bama Local Government Area of Borno State.

The refugees returned voluntarily as part of an ongoing repatriation and resettlement programme. They are from 85 households displaced after years of insurgency.

The returnees were seen off in Maroua, Cameroon, on Thursday by the Governor of the Far North Region, Midjiyawa Bakari. Their return reflects continued efforts to resettle displaced Nigerians in their communities.

Earlier in the week, 300 refugees were taken to Pulka in Gwoza Local Government Area, marking the start of the fourth phase of the repatriation exercise.

On arrival in Banki, the refugees were received by the Commanding Officer of the 152 Task Force Battalion, Lieutenant Colonel Michael Ndubusi, and the District Head of Banki, Alhaji Mohammed Shehu Umar. They were subsequently moved to a reception centre for registration and other formalities.

Officials confirmed that the returnees will be accommodated in newly built houses. The housing project is supported by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and implemented by the Borno State Government.

Governor Babagana Umara Zulum’s administration has continued to invest in the rebuilding, resettlement and rehabilitation of communities affected by conflict, with the aim of restoring peace and helping families rebuild their lives.

The Chairman of the Repatriation Committee, Lawan Abba Wakilbe, thanked the Federal Commissioner of the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons, Tijjani Aliyu Ahamed, for his support.

Wakilbe said Governor Zulum approved support packages for the returnees. According to him, each household head will receive N100,000, while each wife will receive N20,000. Mattresses and wrappers were also distributed.

“Beyond bricks and mortar, the state government is providing direct assistance to ease the transition back home,” Wakilbe said.

A director at the commission, Murdakai Titus, handed over food items and building materials to the refugees.

“The food items are to cushion their immediate needs,” Titus said. He added that the building materials would help improve shelters, as more refugees are expected to return.