A second batch of 705 Nigerian refugees has voluntarily returned to the country from the Republic of Cameroon, arriving in Banki, Bama Local Government Area of Borno State, as part of an ongoing, coordinated resettlement and reintegration programme.
The returnees, made up of 85 households, were formally seen off in Maroua by the Governor of Cameroon’s Far North Region, Midjiyawa Bakari, marking another milestone in the voluntary repatriation of Nigerians displaced by years of insurgency.
Their arrival follows the successful movement of an earlier batch of 300 refugees who were conveyed on Tuesday to Pulka, signaling the commencement of the fourth phase of the sustained repatriation exercise.
At Banki, the returnees were formally received by the Commanding Officer, 152 Task Force Battalion, Michael Ndubusi, alongside the District Head of Banki, Mohammed Shehu Umar. The group was subsequently conveyed to a designated reception centre for documentation and processing.
The refugees are to be resettled in newly constructed housing units, provided under a broader reconstruction and rebuilding initiative supported by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and implemented by the Borno State Government.
Governor Babagana Umara Zulum’s administration has continued to prioritise the reconstruction, rehabilitation, and resettlement of communities affected by conflict, with the objective of restoring livelihoods and ensuring sustainable reintegration.
Chairman of the Repatriation Committee, Lawan Abba Wakilbe, expressed appreciation to the Federal Commissioner of the National Commission for Refugees Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI), Tijjani Aliyu Ahamed, for his support to the process.
He disclosed that the return packages approved by the Borno State Government include ₦100,000 for each head of household, ₦20,000 for each wife, as well as mattresses and wrappers.
“Beyond bricks and mortar, the state government is also providing direct support to ease the transition for returning families,” Wakilbe said.
Also speaking, a Director at NCFRMI, Murdakai Titus, handed over food items, return packages, and building materials to the beneficiaries. He explained that the items were intended to meet immediate needs and support further shelter rehabilitation as additional returnees are expected.
Authorities confirmed that three more convoys of Nigerian refugees are expected to arrive in Bama Local Government Area in the coming weeks, underscoring the sustained commitment of stakeholders to facilitate the safe and dignified return of displaced citizens to their ancestral homes.
