|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
Nigeria’s House of Representatives has expressed concern over the proposed sum of N2 billion for the repatriation of some internally displaced Nigerians from Cameroon.
The lawmakers also urged Federal Government to halt the planned repatriation of 4,566 Nigerian refugees by air scheduled for 1st June, 2018.
Sadiq Ibrahim (APC-Adamawa) noted that thousands of Nigerians from the North East fled their ancestral homes to neighboring countries of Cameroon, Niger Republic and Chad, where they sought international protection and safety at the peak of Boko Haram attack in 2012.
According to him, since 2015, many of these refugees have been gradually returning home (by road) from Cameroon through Sahuda, an Immigration outpost in Mubi South Local Government Area of Adamawa state.
“Even in October 2015, during the uprising in Central African Republic, Nigerians living there were safely repatriated by road through the Immigration outpost in Sahuda.
“The House is informed that there are currently 4,566 refugees in Minawawo refugee camp in Cameroon who have indicated willingness to return home and plans were underway for their safe repatriation to Nigeria in accordance with the standard operating procedures (SOPs) for repatriation.
“The House is also informed that to mitigate the hardship on the refugees during the repatriation, a tripartite agreement between Nigeria, Cameroon and the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) was signed in which it was stipulated that the return of the refugees would be done by road, and that government would undertake the immediate rehabilitation of the road from Sahuda-Mubi and improve the refugees reception facilities (RRF) in Muni as well as facilitate their transportation/logistics in addition to providing the refugees with standard package in cash and/or non food items including free medication for six months,” Ibrahim noted.
He explained that the tripartite agreement stipulates that a budgetary requirements for the repatriation should focus on the 4,566 refugees of Adamawa states origin as a pilot phase by keeping in mind a second allocation for Borno state as once these 4,566 refugees of Adamawa origin begin returning, their fellow refugees from Borno state will follow.
“In breach of the tripartite agreement, that the evacuation would be carried out by road, the National Refugees Commission has decided to do evacuation by air at the cost of N2 billion,” he noted.
While ruling, the House mandated its committee on internally displaced persons refugees and initiatives on North East to invite federal commissioner for refugees, migrants and IDPd to appear before it, and explain the unilateral decision and why the commission breached the tripartite agreement between Nigeria, Cameroon and UNHCR on the modalities of repatriating the 4,566 Nigerian refugees from Cameroon to Nigeria.
KEHINDE AKINTOLA, Abuja
