Former Senate Leader and Senator representing Borno South, Ali Ndume, has commended the Federal Government and the Borno State Governor, Professor Babagana Zulum, for what he described as the tangible gains of the refugee repatriation agreement that has enabled thousands of victims of Boko Haram and Islamic State West African Province (ISWAP) attacks to return home after years of displacement in Cameroon.

Ndume’s commendation follows the ongoing relocation and resettlement of Nigerian refugees, mostly indigenes of Borno State, who fled their communities at the height of insurgent violence and had been living in Cameroon for over a decade.

Many of the returnees had taken refuge at the Minawao camp and surrounding communities after their ancestral homes were overrun by terrorists.

The repatriation is anchored on a tripartite agreement involving the Federal Government of Nigeria, the Borno State Government and the Government of Cameroon, in collaboration with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

The agreement, signed in 2017 in Yaoundé, Cameroon’s capital, was designed to facilitate the voluntary, safe and dignified return of Nigerian refugees displaced by insurgency.

The pact was executed under the leadership of the then Minister of Interior, Lt. Gen. Abdulrahman Bello Dambazau (rtd), who led a high-level Nigerian delegation to Yaoundé.

The delegation included the then Governor of Borno State and current Vice President, Kashim Shettima. Since then, successive administrations at both federal and state levels have pledged to sustain the initiative, particularly as security conditions improved in parts of the North-East.

Within the framework of the agreement, Nigerian refugees who fled terror attacks to Cameroon’s Minawao camp and other locations are repatriated on a voluntary basis, with guarantees for safety, rehabilitation and reintegration into their communities.

The process also includes collaboration with humanitarian agencies to ensure access to shelter, healthcare, education and livelihoods upon return.

Further findings indicated that Governor Zulum has played an active role in partnering with the Federal Government and the UNHCR to accelerate the repatriation process, especially for the tens of thousands of Borno citizens who remained in Cameroon years after fleeing their homes.

The resettlement efforts have focused on communities such as Gwoza Local Government Area, which was among the worst hit by insurgent activities.

In a statement issued at the weekend in Abuja, Ndume said the outcome of the repatriation programme demonstrated that the agreement signed several years ago was now yielding concrete results.

He praised the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Borno State Government for keeping faith with the initiative and ensuring that displaced citizens were not abandoned.

“I want to commend the Federal Government because the tripartite agreement between it, the Borno State Government, the Government of Cameroon and the UNHCR has ensured the repatriation, resettlement and relocation of Nigerian refugees in Minawao in Cameroon back to Gwoza Local Government,” Ndume said.

He added: “I commend the Federal Government for the initiative of resettling the people and the active participation of the Borno State Government in the resettlement after over ten years in Cameroon. I also want to commend the resettlement of the people of Wala village in Gwoza Local Government.”

Ndume noted that the return of displaced persons to their ancestral homes was critical to restoring normalcy, rebuilding local economies and strengthening confidence in government-led recovery efforts in the North-East.

According to him, beyond physical relocation, the resettlement programme signalled a renewed commitment to addressing the humanitarian consequences of the insurgency.

The former Senate Chief Whip also used the opportunity to commend Governor Zulum for fulfilling his promise to restore electricity to Gwoza Local Government Area, which had been in total blackout for more than 10 years

The efforts of Governor Zulum in restoring electricity in Gwoza are commendable. We have been without light for over 10 years,” Ndume said. “The Borno State Governor made a promise last year during the installation of the Emir of Bama, and he has kept that promise.”

The restoration of electricity and the resettlement of displaced communities are key components of the broader post-insurgency recovery plan in Borno State, aimed at encouraging returnees to rebuild their lives and discouraging secondary displacement.

With the continued support of the Federal Government, neighbouring countries and international partners, stakeholders believe that sustained implementation of the repatriation pact will further consolidate peace, restore livelihoods and gradually heal the scars left by over a decade of insurgency in the region.
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