No fewer than 3,122 people displaced by Boko Haram attacks were on Monday cleared for repatriation to their communities in Gwoza and Bama council areas of Borno.
Rudacogora Monique, the head of Sub-Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Maroua, Cameroon, who disclosed this, said all was set for the repatriation of 3,122 refugees to Nigeria in safety and dignity.
The refugees were cleared after being screened by a combined team of the Federal Government of Nigeria, the Government of Cameroon, the Borno Government and the UNHCR at Maniwao Camps, Maroua Cameroon.
She stated that the week-long process had cleared 306 people, comprising 71 households who were originally from Gwoza, and 2,816 people, comprising 486 households, from Bama.
The diplomat assured the refugees of their safe, dignified and voluntary return from Minawao Refugee Camps to Nigeria under the tripartite agreement.
“Warmly, I would like to appreciate the good working collaboration with the people and the Government of Nigeria and the Government of Cameroon.
“We have been working hand in hand to ensure the protection of our people, our brothers and sisters, Nigerians in Minawao camps.
“We have been working hand in hand to ensure their well-being, their safety together with all the governments, and with everything we just accomplished it’s really time to say thank you.
“Now we have seen you, Last time in the month of December 2025, we are privileged to receive the governor of Borno State, it was a very good opportunity for the refugees and ourselves to really discuss and to remove all the fears the refugees are having while planning to return home,” she said.
The diplomat announced that a good number of the refugees had made their decision voluntarily without any push and were ready to leave the camps.
She, however, expressed optimism that the refugees would be in good hands while on transit, adding that those who have decided to repatriate would not forget Cameroon in a hurry because Cameroon has been a very good land for them.
Also speaking, Sone Clement Ngoe, the divisional official of Mayo and Tsanaga, the administrative division, hosting Minawao camps, also said the voluntary repatriation phase was very effective.
Ms Ngoe said that the processes had been going on smoothly, adding that on their part they were working under the esteemed instruction of the Governor of Far-North Region, Gov. Midjinyawa Bakari to ensure the smooth operation of the voluntary repatriation from beginning to the end.
However, the chairman of the repatriation technical committee, who led the Nigerian delegation, Tijani Aliyu, also assured the refugees who decided to return home voluntarily of their safety and protection.
Mr Aliyu, also the Federal Commissioner, National Commission for Refugees, Migrants, and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI), thanked security agencies, especially the Nigerian Army for giving them the assurance of providing adequate security during the operation.
The chairman, who was represented by Murdakai Titus, a deputy director, Refugee Affairs at the commission, expressed happiness over the support given to the repatriation team by the security agencies.
“We wish to thank the Nigerian Army for their support to us to ensure that this exercise is under secure operation,” he said.
Earlier, Lawan Wakilbe, the representative of the Borno government and the state commissioner for education, said adequate arrangements had been provided by the state government to ensure the safety of their people during and after the repatriation.
Mr Wakilbe said that the state government has made provision for accommodation to over 400 households returning to Bama in addition to N100,000 cash support to each head of the household and N20,000 cash to each wife alongside the federal government package.
He said that of the 486 households of Bama origin, 22 of them would not have accommodation as it were, saying a N500,000 support was provided for each of them to enable them to get accommodation and N50,000 to each of their wives.
“All those returning to Gwoza since they don’t have houses, His Excellency, the Governor of Borno State has given N500,000 to every household’s head and N50,000 to the wife in addition to the returning package that the federal government is going to give,” the commissioner said.
(NAN)