The operation, which is being carried out with the support of the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI), is the fourth phase of a structured repatriation programme that commenced in 2020. It is anchored on tripartite agreements involving the governments of Nigeria and Cameroon, alongside the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), to ensure that returns are voluntary, safe and dignified.
On Monday, the Chairman of the Borno State Sub-Committee on Repatriation and a member of the Presidential Committee on Repatriation, Engineer Lawan Abba Wakilbe, led a Nigerian delegation to the Minawao Refugee Camp in Maroua, Cameroon’s Far North Region. The delegation met with Cameroonian government officials and UNHCR representatives to fine-tune logistical and operational arrangements for the exercise.
According to Engr. Wakilbe, the discussions focused on transportation, documentation, security and welfare measures to guarantee a smooth return for the refugees. “This is the fourth phase, which began in 2020. The process is going on smoothly in accordance with the tripartite and technical working group agreements,” he said. He further assured that all commitments made by Governor Zulum during his visit to the camp would be fully honoured once the refugees return home.
Governor Zulum had visited the Minawao Refugee Camp on 8 December 2025, where he personally met with displaced Borno indigenes and encouraged those willing to return. He pledged that the state government would ensure their safety, rehabilitation and reintegration, describing the repatriation as the beginning of a new chapter for families uprooted by violence.
Most of the refugees are from central and southern parts of Borno State. They fled at the height of the insurgency, when entire communities were razed, livelihoods destroyed and social structures shattered across the North-East. Over the years, Cameroonian authorities, working with humanitarian partners, provided them with shelter, healthcare, education and other essential services. Many refugees were also allocated farmland, enabling them to engage in agriculture, reduce dependence on aid and maintain a sense of dignity despite displacement.
With improved security in several parts of Borno and ongoing reconstruction of homes, schools and health facilities, many refugees have now expressed readiness to return voluntarily. The Borno State Government has already deployed buses and other logistical support to facilitate their movement, while the National Commission for Refugees will coordinate the exercise in close collaboration with Cameroonian authorities and humanitarian agencies.
In a related diplomatic engagement, Engr. Wakilbe led a high-level delegation to the office of the Governor of Cameroon’s Far North Region, Midjiyawa Bakari. During the meeting, Governor Bakari commended the Borno State Government for sustaining a strong and cordial bilateral relationship with Cameroon. He noted that the cooperation between both countries has been crucial in protecting displaced persons and ensuring their orderly and humane return.
As convoys prepare to move and families begin to look homeward, the repatriation stands as a powerful symbol of resilience, regional cooperation and the gradual restoration of normalcy in Borno State. For thousands who have spent more than a decade away from home, the journey back is not just a physical return, but a reaffirmation of belonging, hope and the promise of rebuilding lives once interrupted by conflict
