By Yakubu Uba
The first batch of 300 Nigerian refugees in neighbouring Cameroon Republic has
arrived in Pulka town of Gwoza Local Area of Borno.
Their arrival marked the commencement of the first phase of a sustained
repatriation exercise of people displaced for 11 years by the insurgency in Borno.
The 300 were part of the 3,000 expected to be repatriated from the Minawao Camp
in Maruwa town of Cameroon.
The returnees, comprising 75 households, arrived in Pulka on Tuesday in a
coordinated and dignified manner being handled by the United Nations agencies in
collaboration with Nigeria and Cameroonian authorities.
On arrival in Pulka, the returnees were formally received by local authorities and
security officials.
Each household head received ₦500,000 for his family, while each housewife got
additional ₦50,000 to facilitate smooth reintegration.
The Borno Government provided mattresses and clothing materials for women and
children, while the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and
Internally Displaced Persons, supplied essential food items, including rice, millet,
beans, and cooking oil.
Speaking on the exercise, the Chairman of the Borno State Sub-Committee on
Repatriation, Engr. Lawan Abba Wakilbe described the exercise as a significant
achievement in the lifetime of the present administration.
“This homecoming is a testament to our collective resolve. We are not just moving
people; we are restoring lives and reigniting hope in our communities,” Wakilbe
stated.
Many of the refugees were excited to return home after 11 years and were in tears
of joy.
They thanked all those involved in their safe stay in Cameroon and the dignified
return back home, and prayed for lasting peace as they prepare for normal life in
their ancestral land.
A United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) report indicates that the
insurgency in the North East has led to displacement of 1.8 million people in the
affected states of Borno, Adamawa and Yobe out of which 1.5 million of the
displaced are from Borno, the epicentre of the crisis.
