The Federal Government has begun bringing home 7,790 Nigerians who fled to Chad nearly a decade ago to escape Boko Haram attacks.
Leading the delegation to Chad, Borno State Governor Babagana Zulum was joined by the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Dr Yusuf Sununu, and the Chief Executive Officer of the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants, and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI), Aliyu Ahmed.
A statement from Zulum’s media aide on Thursday said the delegation arrived in Baga Sola on Wednesday, where they were received by the Governor of Lac Province, Saleh Tidjani.
The returnees, mostly from Borno, had been living in Chad after insurgents overran their communities in the Lake Chad Basin.
Before the repatriation, Zulum attended the signing of a tripartite agreement between Nigeria, Chad, and the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR).
Dr Sununu signed on behalf of Nigeria, Governor Tidjani for Chad, and Jerome Merlin, UNHCR’s Second Representative in Baga Sola, for the refugee agency.
Zulum made it clear that only those who wanted to return were being repatriated.
“This exercise is entirely voluntary. We are grateful to the government and people of Chad for their hospitality and support in sheltering our people during their time of need. Now that peace has returned to many areas in Borno, we are prepared to help them reintegrate into their communities. In the first batch of the repatriation, about 1,768 families, comprising 7,790 individuals, will be transported back to Nigeria,” Zulum said.
Dr Sununu praised Zulum for his leadership and strong partnership with the Federal Government in responding to humanitarian crises.
“I want to thank His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Borno State, for demonstrating leadership during crises and serving as a role model in terms of federal/state collaboration. His commitment to working with the Federal Government and international partners to ensure the well-being of displaced persons is commendable,” he said.
The Federal Government reiterated its commitment to supporting states in humanitarian efforts and ensuring that refugees return to their communities safely.
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