By Abdullahi Alhassan, Kaduna.
Borno State Government has finalised arrangements for the voluntary repatriation of more than 3,000 Nigerian refugees from Cameroon republic to their ancestral homes after 11 years.
This is in fulfillment of Borno State Governor, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum’s commitment to repatriate and resettle all Nigerian refugees from Borno who are sheltering in neighboring Chad, Cameroon and Niger republics.
The operation is being conducted with the support of the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons.
Chairman Borno State Sub-Committee on Repatriation and member of the Presidential Committee on Repatriation, Engineer Lawan Abba Wakilbe, on Monday met with a Government delegation from Cameroon’s Far North Region and officials of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) at the Minawao Refugee Camp in Maroua.
The purpose of the meeting was to finalise logistical and other arrangements to ensure the refugees’ safe and dignified return.
During a visit to the camp in December 2025, Governor Zulum assured refugees willing to return that they would do so in a safe and dignified manner, marking a new chapter for families displaced by insurgency over 11 years ago.
The refugees, predominantly from communities in central and southern Borno, fled to Cameroon more than 11 years ago during the peak of the insurgency, which devastated villages, displaced families, and disrupted socio-economic life across the North-East.
During their stay, Cameroonian authorities and humanitarian partners provided shelter, healthcare, education, and other essential services. Many refugees were also allocated farmland to support agricultural activities, reducing aid dependency and allowing them to sustain their families with dignity.
With improved security in several parts of Borno and ongoing state-led reconstruction efforts, many refugees have expressed their readiness to return home voluntarily.
The Borno State Government has already provided buses and other logistical support for the movement of the refugees while the National Commission for Refugees will oversee and coordinate the repatriation mission in collaboration with Cameroonian authorities and humanitarian agencies.
“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,” Engr. Wakilbe stated.
“His Excellency, Governor Zulum, was here on 8 December 2025 and made commitments. As soon as they return home, all commitments will be fulfilled,” he assured.
In a related development, Engineer Wakilbe led a high-level delegation to the office of the Governor of Cameroon’s Far North Region, Midjiyawa Bakari.
During their meeting, Governor Bakari commended the Borno State Government for sustaining the longstanding and cordial bilateral relationship, noting that cooperation between the two countries has been instrumental in ensuring the protection, welfare, and orderly return of displaced persons across the border.
