No fewer than 705 Nigerian refugees have safely returned to the country from the Republic of Cameroon, arriving in Banki, Bama Local Government Area of Borno State, in the second phase of an ongoing voluntary repatriation exercise.
The returnees, comprising 85 households, were officially dispatched from Maroua in Cameroon’s Far North Region on Thursday.
They were seen off by the regional governor, Midjiyawa Bakari, marking another milestone in efforts to resettle Nigerians displaced by years of insurgency in the North East.
The latest return follows the arrival of 300 refugees in Pulka, Gwoza Local Government Area, which signalled the commencement of the fourth phase of the repatriation programme.
On arrival in Banki, the returnees were received by the Commanding Officer of the 152 Task Force Battalion, Lieutenant Colonel Michael Ndubusi, alongside the District Head of Banki, Alhaji Mohammed Shehu Umar.
They were subsequently transported to a designated reception centre for documentation and processing.
The refugees are expected to be accommodated in newly constructed housing units under a reconstruction and resettlement initiative supported by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in collaboration with the Borno State Government.
Governor Babagana Umara Zulum’s administration has continued to prioritise the rebuilding of conflict-affected communities, with sustained investments in rehabilitation, resettlement and the restoration of livelihoods.
Chairman of the Repatriation Committee, Engineer Lawan Abba Wakilbe, acknowledged the support of the Federal Commissioner of the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI), Hon. Tijjani Aliyu Ahmed.
He disclosed that the state government’s return package includes N100,000 for each household head, N20,000 for each wife, as well as mattresses and wrappers.
Also speaking, a director at NCFRMI, Mr Murdakai Titus, formally handed over relief items and building materials to support the reintegration process, noting that the assistance was aimed at meeting immediate needs and facilitating further shelter development.
Authorities have confirmed that three additional convoys of returning refugees are expected to arrive in Bama Local Government Area in the coming weeks, underscoring ongoing efforts to ensure the safe and dignified return of displaced Nigerians to their ancestral communities.
