The first batch of 300 Nigerian refugees in Cameroon has returned to Gwoza in Borno State, marking the commencement of the fourth phase of a sustained repatriation exercise.
The returnees, comprising 75 households, arrived in Pulka, Gwoza Local Government of the state in a coordinated and dignified homecoming. The journey for the families represented not merely a border crossing, but an emotional passage from displacement to building their livelihood after 11 years in IDP camp in Cameroon republic.
This milestone follows Governor Babagana Umara Zulum’s visit to their camp in Cameroon on last 8 December where he pledged a voluntary, safe, and dignified return process. Chairman of the the 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 said.
In a show of regional solidarity, the Governor of Cameroon Far North Region, Minjinyawa Bakari personally bade the refugees farewell, reaffirming bilateral cooperation in addressing the humanitarian impact of insurgency around Lake Chad.
Upon arrival in Pulka, the returnees were formally received by local authorities and security officials. In a show of gratitude, some of the returnees knelt to touch the soil of their homeland; others offered prayers, while children many of whom had spent most of their lives abroad, observed their ancestral home with curiosity.
Each household head received ₦500,000 in cash with an additional ₦50,000 to each wife to facilitate smooth reintegration. The state Government provided mattresses and wrappers, while the National Commission for Refugees supplied essential food items, including rice, millet, beans, and cooking oil.
This phase of the exercise is a broader strategy to stabilise resettled communities, rebuild infrastructure, and restore livelihoods across insurgency-affected communities. Personalities that accompanied the Chairman of the Borno State Sub-Committee on Repatriation, Engr.
Other dignataries with Wakilbe included members of House of Assembly representing Kaga, Gwoza and Gulumba Woloji, Hon. Mustafa Alibe Benishiekh, Hon Buba Abatcha and Hon. Baba Shehu Gulumba. Also in attendance were the Chairman Gwoza LGA, Hon. Abba Shehu Timta and an official of National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons, Mr. Murdakai Titus.
