Zulum Raises Alarm Over 284, 000  Nigerian Refugees Across Chad, Cameroon, Niger Republic

…FG Pledges  Repatriation Of Refugees, IDPs Nationwide 

 

The Borno State Governor ,Babagana Zulum has informed  the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr Betta Edu that over ,284,000 Nigerian refugees are scattered across Niger, Chad and Cameroon.

Zulum  who gave the figure during a visit by the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr Betta Edu to Borno State , Thursday, assured the Minister of his government’s commitment towards addressing  humanitarian issues and poverty.

Giving a breakdown of the refugees figure across the three Africa neighbouring countries,  Governor Zulum said  over 200,000 refugees in Niger, 60,000 in Cameroon and 24,000 in Chad, hence the State must work with the Ministry to bring these refugees back home, pointing out that they need shelters, money and job opportunities.

The Governor highlighted three priority areas  of collaboration, including Poverty which he described as a nexus with insecurity, saying  “once poverty is addressed, insecurity would be addressed”.

Other issues attributed  as challenges at the IDP camps are population growth and gender-based violence.

“State Government houses  the internally displaced persons for only a short time as transit facilities, while they try to provide durable solutions from humanitarian to sustainable solutions”.

Government he said  also created SME opportunities for displaced persons.

The third factor according  to Governor Zulum was the Refugee situation, saying  over 200,000 refugees in Niger, 60,000 in Cameroon and 24,000 in Chad, hence the State must work with the Ministry to bring these refugees back home. They need shelters, money and job opportunities.

The Governor informed the Minister  of the existence of the Presidential Committee that is to return and reintegrate these refugees.

” The Vice President is the Chair and  the work of the Committee has gone far, the Ministry has a very huge role to play in that committee” he said.

On the Humanitarian development Partners, the Governor said “their role is to complement what Government does and not to take the lead in responsibilities of Government.

“Also, the priorities of Government must be their priorities too, So, they must key into Government priorities.

On the National social register, the Governor said that States should have the opportunity of owning the register because the poverty index is continuously changing.

Earlier Edu stated that the Federal Government is committed to returning the refugees and migrants to their various homes across the country.

According to a statement from Rhoda Ishaku Iliya, Deputy Director Information from the Ministry, Edu said  structures must be put in place to reintegrate the internally displaced persons back into their communities.

Edu informed the Governor that Borno State was the first state she would be visiting in her capacity as Minister since her swearing in as

a member of the Federal Executive Council.

To show how important and strategic the state is to achieving results on humanitarian response and ending poverty in Nigeria the Minister described Borno  as a stabilizing state in the  North East  and Nigeria.

Dr Edu reiterated President Ahmed Bola Tinubu’s commitment to minimizing Humanitarian crisis and eliminating poverty in Nigeria in fulfilment of the  renewed hope Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals 1 and 2.

“it is important that the Hummanitarian Ministry renew its partnership with the State and leverage on their successes and experience to find better ways of doing things.

“The Ministry under me  will not only aim at eliminating poverty, but it shall also provide safety nets to prevent Nigerians from going under the poverty line

“The Ministry shall establish humanitarian hubs in all Local Government Areas as a deliberate policy of targeting the grassroots, the rural poor that are more in large numbers in communities and villages.

“The Ministry shall  deliberately create job opportunities for the youth on a short- and long-term basis, giving micro-credits, vocational training among others”.

She described the Governor as ” action leader” and  informed him that the National Social Register shall be cleaned up and expanded to accommodate more people in other to meet target.

The Minister thanked the Governor for the grand reception and  the excellent work he is doing in Borno State that was bringing peace, development and stability to the people and the state.

She encouraged the Governor to continue giving leadership and support at the state level “so that the overall objective of eliminating hunger and poverty will be attained” she added.

By Roland Ekama