The Federal Government and the Borno State government have completed the repatriation of the fourth and final batch of Nigerian refugees from Cameroon with the arrival of 680 refugees, comprising 162 households, from the Minawao refugee camp in Cameroon to Banki in Bama Local Council of the state.

The final batch of refugees’ repatriation from Cameroon marks the culmination of the fourth phase of the coordinated joint exercise.

The return of refugees to the state was supported by the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons (NCRM-IDP) and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

The fourth repatriation phase began on January 27, 2026, with the arrival of 300 refugees to Pulka in Gwoza Local Council.

In his farewell address to the departing refugees, Governor of Cameroon’s Far North region, Minjinyawa Bakari, commended Governor Babagana Zulum for his unwavering support and commitment to the safe and dignified return of the refugees.

Bakari urged the refugees returning to their ancestral homes to be “productive citizens by rebuilding their lives with dignity in their communities.”

On arrival, the refugees were warmly received at the Nigerian border by the Commanding Officer of the 152 Task Force Battalion, Lt. Col. Michael Ndubisi; the District Head of Banki, Mohammed Shehu Umar, and other dignitaries.

They were also taken to a reception facility and later to their UNHCR-supported homes built by the Borno State government.

Addressing the 680 returning refugees at a reception facility in Banki, Chairman of the Repatriation Committee, Lawan Abba Wakilbe, warned them against exploiting the repatriation process for economic gains.

“The state government would verify its database to identify individuals who had already settled in Banki without cancelling their refugee status,” he said, warning that such individuals would face consequences, including their exclusion from the housing and return packages to restore livelihoods in communities.

The chairman appreciated the Federal Commissioner of the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons, Tijjani Aliyu Ahamed, for the refugees’ repatriation support.

He explained that Zulum’s return packages for the refugees included ₦100,000 for each of the households, ₦ 20,000 for each of the wives, mattresses and wrappers.

The National Commission for Refugees, Migrants, and Internally Displaced Persons also provided essential food items, including many bags of rice, beans, millet, cooking oil, and various seasonings for the families.

A total of 3,122 individuals, comprising 557 households have been successfully returned to Bama and Gwoza Local Councils. (Guardian)

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