The Federal Government of Nigeria has declared it has commenced the process of evacuating Nigerians refugees in neighbouring Cameroon, Chad and Niger Republic.
Africa Today News, New York reports that when they realised they were no longer safe in their own country, thousands of Nigerians who had been displaced by the Boko Haram insurgency fled to adjacent nations in search of safety.
The plan to return Nigerians taking refuge in the three countries to their ancestral homes was let out Federal Commissioner of the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI), Alhaji Ahmed Tijjani yesterday following a meeting with Borno State Governor Babagana Umara Zulum at the Government House in Maiduguri.
Tijjani disclosed that the government had also agreed to close the remaining Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camps in Maiduguri and return the displaced persons to their ancestral homes within the shortest possible time.
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He said ‘We discussed the evacuation of refugees from Cameroon, Niger and Chad. It was agreed that a tripartite meeting would be held. He said: ‘The commission will sit and come out with the process and procedure to apply in evacuating our people. Registration of refugees for the voluntary evacuation is ongoing in collaboration with the UN Agency for Refugees (UNHCR).’
He lauded the Borno State government for its commitment to the welfare of the people and assured of the Commission’s support at all times. Tijjani said the Commission had already established a resettlement city in Amarwa village in Konduga local government area of the state for the returnees with provisions for schools, clinics, markets, a police outpost and a skill acquisition centre among others.
Africa Today News, New York reports that this is not the first time such a scheme is being put together.