Nigeria is set to repatriate about 200,000 refugees living in the Niger Republic since fleeing their homes during a 2014 insurgency by Boko Haram. They are expected to be repatriated by May this year.
Borno State Governor, Babagana Umara Zulum, made the announcement at Malam-Fatori in Abadam Local Government Area on Tuesday.
At the moment, the refugees are spread out in Bosso, Tumur, and Diffa, which are all in the Republic of Niger.
In addition to offering support to the military, Governor Zulum stated that he was in Malam-Fatori to observe firsthand the town’s clearance procedure in advance of his May 2023 deadline for the safe and voluntary return of refugees from the neighbouring francophone nation to their original communities.
“We want the people to return next month (May) for normal activities to return to this part of the state, insha’Allah. We will give all the necessary support to the Nigerian military to make sure that this objective is achieved.
We call on our people to be resilient and give maximum cooperation to the security operatives working to restore normalcy”, Zulum said during his interaction with the Commanding Officer of the 68th Battalion, Malam-Fatori, Col. A. Onyeukwu.
Zulum was accompanied by the House of Reps-elect for Marte, Monguno, and Nganzai—namely, Engr. Bukar Talba, Commissioner for Local Government and Emirates Affairs; Sugun Mai Mele (transition council chairman of Abadam); and some prominent indigenous residents from that district: Fulani Girri Gazuwa Garbai Alawa Kadan Giya Galbasura Nadara Na Maasina Saboda Kasawa