Nigerian Refugees: Government Refutes Allegations of Forced Return

 Below is a Government’s Statement on the allegations of forced return of Nigerian refugees organized by Cameroonian authorities. It was read to the press yesterday by Communication Minister, Issa Tchiroma Bakary.

“The spokesman of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees pointed out, during a press conference granted on March 21, 2017 in Geneva, the concerns of the UNHCR relating to the alleged forceful repatriation by Cameroon of Nigerian refugees since the beginning of the year 2016. He notably described a situation “where some refugees who were arrested during a military attack against the Boko Haram insurgency, were transported in trucks to a camp of the displaced persons at Banki. Among those forcibly returned were found a one year old child and a woman who was nine months pregnant who latter put to birth a day after their arrival at Banki.”
The Government of Cameroon strongly refutes these ungrounded and particularly unjust allegations which are somehow intended to undermine the image of a country whose meritorious efforts to host refugees are unanimously lauded, including by the High Commissioner for Refugees.
With regard to the facts on the ground, it is important to highlight that, on March 20, 2017, while fleeing the Nigerian army operations against the Boko Haram terrorist group, 841 Nigerian nationals, including 154 men, 288 women and 399 children, found themselves in Cameroon. They were welcomed by the elements of the Cameroonian army based in the Lafia locality, who, with the means at their disposal, gave them all the necessary assistance in terms of food and medical care.
Considering the general fatigue conditions of these refugees, in which some sustained injuries through bullets, coupled with the remote location of the Minawao camp, the Cameroonian authorities, under the effective supervision of the local HCR bureau and in collaboration with the relevant Nigerian authorities, undertook to organize their safe return in their country. For this purpose, civilian trucks were requisitioned in support of military vehicles. In all, 905 Nigerian nationals (over sixty new refugees who were added to the other 841), were regrouped and transported to Banki in Nigeria, and handed over to the Nigerian authorities, in the morning of March 21, 2017. None of them expressed the desire to stay in Cameroon.
These operations took place in strict compliance with the provisions contained in the Tripartite Agreement signed on March 2, 2017 as part of the voluntary return of Nigerian refugees living in Cameroon.
The Government of Cameroon would like to express its profound disapproval and to raise the strongest possible protest against the aforementioned allegations which are profoundly unjust and unacceptable. In matters of hospitality, Cameroon has no lesson to learn from anyone. The country has always hosted a good number of refugees who find asylum in our territory. The local Cameroonian authorities, known for their legendary hospitality and solidarity, have always spontaneously hosted these helpless persons. Notwithstanding the end of conflicts which justified their departure from their country of origin, many refugees have nevertheless chosen to stay in Cameroon.   
Today, Cameroon hosts over 550,000 refugees, mostly nationals of the Central African Republic and Nigeria. But there are also some former Chadian, Rwandan and Burundian refugees. With regard to Nigerian refugees, more than 87,000 persons are currently present in Cameroon. Over 60,000 of these Nigerian refugees are hosted in the Minawao camp, initially set up for 20, 000 people and whose hosting capacity is today far exceeded. Thousands of other Nigerian refugees are received by host families, yet with very limited resources. This influx of refugees is a particularly heavy burden for public authori...

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