Borno State Governor Babagana Zulum has pledged to repatriate no less than 3,000 refugees from Cameroon after living in the Minawao internally displaced camp (IDP) for over a decade.

The repatriation of the refugees is being conducted with the support of the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons (NCRMIP).

Zulum, represented by the Chairman of the State’s Sub-Committee on Repatriation (BOCR) and member of the Presidential Committee on Repatriation, Lawan Abba Wakilbe, on Tuesday met with the 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, Cameroon.

Wakilbe stated that the purpose of the meeting was to finalise logistical and other arrangements to ensure the refugees’ safe and dignified return to Nigeria.

During a visit to the camp in December 2025, 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 the 16-year Boko Haram insurgency that claimed many lives and property in the state.

The affected refugees are predominantly from communities in central and southern Borno who fled to Cameroon more than 11 years ago, during the peak of the insurgency, which devastated villages and destroyed their means of livelihood 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 their reliance on aid 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.

Meanwhile, the State Government has already provided buses and other logistical support for the massive 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.

Chairman of the repatriation committee said: “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.”

Wakilbe also 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.