91,000 Nigerian refugees in Cameroon to return home soon as FG gets set to begin voluntary repatriation

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- Over 91,000 Nigerian refugees will be voluntarily repatriated back home by the federal government, starting in July

- A tripartite agreement to work our modalities for the scheduled repatriations has been signed by Nigeria, Cameroon and the UNHCR

- Nigeria also hosts 1960 urban refugees from Africa, the Middle East, Asia and Europe

The federal government has announced plans to begin the voluntary repatriation of more than 91,000 Nigerian refugees from Cameroon in July.

The development was made public on Wednesday, June 20, by the federal commissioner, National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI), Sadiya Farouk, The Cable reports.

NAIJ.com gathers that Farouk disclosed that a tripartite agreement to work our modalities for the scheduled repatriations has been signed by Nigeria, Cameroon and the UNHCR.

She said: “The tripartite agreement was aimed at the voluntary repatriation of over 91,000 Nigerians refugees from Cameroon.

“Let me state here that the TWG has concluded concrete operational modalities and support measures, including setting the timetable and procedures to ensure the safe, dignified, voluntary return and sustainable reintegration of Nigerian refugees from Cameroon.

“All things being equal, the voluntary repatriation should commence in July 2018.”

She also disclosed that Nigeria hosts 1960 urban refugees from Africa, the Middle East, Asia and Europe.

The UNHCR’s country representative for Nigeria, Jose Antonio-Canhandula, said there are more Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) than refugees in Nigeria; and called for solutions to be found, which would put an end to human want.

He stated: “In Nigeria, where we have more IDPs than refugees. In both situations, humanitarian assistance is like running on the same spot.

“The best is that human beings should not be eternally dependent on humanitarian assistance. We need to integrate durable solutions to our collective strategy. We need to put an end to human want.”

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Meanwhile, NAIJ.com previously reported that the government of Cameroon deported about 517 Nigerians who were in the country illegally.

313 asylum seekers who fled from the Boko Haram insurgence in Northern Nigeria were also deported, according to the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR).

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