Ndume Applauds Federal, Borno Governments Over Resettlement of Terrorism Victims

By our Correspondent

Former Senate Leader, Senator Ali Ndume, has praised the Federal Government and the Borno State Government, led by Governor Babagana Zulum, for the ongoing relocation and resettlement of victims of Boko Haram and Islamic State West African Province (ISWAP) attacks who were displaced from their communities and had been living as refugees in Cameroon.

Findings revealed that the resettlement effort is anchored on a tripartite agreement involving the Federal Government of Nigeria, the Borno State Government and the Government of Cameroon, with the support of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). The agreement, which dates back to 2017, was signed in Yaoundé, the capital of Cameroon, to facilitate the voluntary repatriation of Nigerian refugees residing in Cameroon, many of whom originate from Borno State.
The agreement was signed during the administration of the then Minister of Interior, Lt. Gen. (Rtd) Abdulrahman Bello Dambazau, who led a high-level Nigerian delegation that included the former Governor of Borno State and current Vice President, Alhaji Kashim Shettima. It guarantees the safe, dignified and voluntary return of Nigerian refugees who fled terrorist attacks and sought refuge at the Minawao camp and other locations in Cameroon.
Further investigations showed that Governor Zulum has continued to work closely with the Federal Government and the UNHCR to accelerate the repatriation process, particularly for the tens of thousands of Borno indigenes currently in Cameroon.
In a statement issued over the weekend in Abuja, the Senator representing Borno South commended the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Borno State Government for remaining committed to the programme, which has enabled many displaced citizens to return to the North-East state.
“I want to commend the Federal Government because the tripartite agreement between it, the Borno State Government, the Government of Cameroon and the UNHCR has ensured the repatriation, resettlement and relocation of Nigerian refugees from Minawao in Cameroon back to Gwoza Local Government Area,” Ndume said.
“I also commend the Federal Government for initiating the resettlement programme and the active involvement of the Borno State Government in resettling the people after more than ten years in Cameroon. I further applaud the resettlement of the people of Wala Village in Gwoza Local Government Area.”
The former Senate Chief Whip also expressed appreciation to Governor Zulum for fulfilling his pledge to restore electricity to Gwoza Local Government Area, which had experienced total blackout for over a decade following the destruction of power infrastructure by Boko Haram insurgents.
“The efforts of Governor Zulum in restoring electricity to Gwoza are commendable. We have lived without power for over ten years. The governor made this promise last year during the installation of the Emir of Bama, and he has kept that promise,” Ndume added.