Repatriation of Nigerian refugees from Cameroon has been fixed for February 27 and March 7, 2021.
Most of the 46,000 Nigerian refugees fled troubled Borno State to neighbouring Cameroonian towns, mostly Minawao, at the peak of the Boko Haram crisis.
The decision on the scheduled repatriation dates was taken after a tripartite commission meeting involved representatives of the federal government, Borno State Government and the Cameroonian Government.
The meeting, which was held last Wednesday, had in attendance the Cameroonian delegation led by the host country’s Minister of Territorial Administration, Paul Atanga Nji; Governor of Far North Cameroon, Midjiyawa Bakary, and some humanitarian officials, as well as the Nigerian side led by Borno State Governor, Prof Umara Zulum; top officials from the Nigerian High Commission in Cameroon, the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Malam Bashir Nura Alkali; the Ministry’s Humanitarian Director, Ali Grema; a representative of the Federal Commissioner of National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons, Mr. Hassan Ejibunu; the governor’s Adviser on External and Liaison Services, Adamu Abbas, who is also a member of the Technical Working Group (TWG) established for the implementation of the tripartite repatriation agreement; a member of the House of Representatives representing Bama, Ngala, Kala-Balge federal constituency of Borno State, Zainab Gimba; the Director-General of Borno State Emergency Management Agency, and some other relevant officials.