The Borno State Government has concluded arrangements for the voluntary repatriation of more than 3,000 Nigerian refugees from the Republic of Cameroon to their ancestral communities after spending over 11 years in exile.
The exercise is in line with the commitment of Governor Babagana Umara Zulum to ensure the safe return and resettlement of all Borno indigenes who sought refuge in neighbouring Cameroon, Chad and Niger at the height of the insurgency in the North-East.
The repatriation is being carried out with the support of the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons, in collaboration with Cameroonian authorities and international humanitarian partners.
Chairman of the Borno State Sub-Committee on Repatriation and member of the Presidential Committee on Repatriation, Engr. Lawan Abba Wakilbe, on Monday held a meeting with a 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. The meeting focused on finalising logistics and other arrangements to guarantee the refugees’ safe and dignified return.
Governor Zulum had, during a visit to the camp in December 2025, assured refugees willing to return home of the state government’s readiness to facilitate a secure and orderly resettlement process.
The refugees, largely from communities in central and southern Borno, fled to Cameroon more than a decade ago following the escalation of insurgency, which destroyed villages, displaced families and disrupted socio-economic activities across the region.
While in Cameroon, the refugees benefited from shelter, healthcare, education and other essential services provided by the Cameroonian government and humanitarian agencies. Many were also allocated farmland, enabling them to engage in agriculture and reduce dependence on humanitarian aid.
With security conditions improving in parts of Borno and reconstruction efforts ongoing, many of the refugees have expressed willingness to return home voluntarily. The Borno State Government has provided buses and other logistical support for the movement, while the National Commission for Refugees is coordinating the operation.
“This is the fourth phase of the repatriation exercise, which commenced in 2020, and the process is progressing smoothly in line with tripartite and technical working group agreements,” Engr. Wakilbe said.
He assured that all commitments made by Governor Zulum during his December 2025 visit would be fulfilled immediately upon the refugees’ return.
In a related development, Engr. Wakilbe led a high-level delegation to the office of the Governor of Cameroon’s Far North Region, Midjiyawa Bakari, who commended the Borno State Government for sustaining a strong bilateral relationship. Governor Bakari noted that continued cooperation between both sides has been crucial in safeguarding the welfare and facilitating the orderly return of displaced persons across the border.
