Nigeria’s National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) over the weekend received 197 Nigerians that were displaced by the crises in Central African Republic (CAR), and have been taking refuge in Cameroun under the International Organization for Migration (IOM).
Director General of NEMA Muhammad Sani Sidi received the returnees in Sahuda border post near Mubi in Adamawa State, North Eastern Nigeria.
Statement by NEMA’s press officer, Manzo Ezekiel, explained that the returnees were fully screened by the security agencies at the border before being received by NEMA; With proper logistic kept in place to transport them to their various homes across 12 states – Adamawa (64), Bauchi (15), Kebbi (7), Sokoto (2), Gombe(16), Borno (40), Kano (13), Kaduna(1), Plateau (2), FCT (2), Yobe (29) and Taraba (6).
It also added two years after the escalation of the crises in CAR, the Federal Government through NEMA had evacuated its citizens through the airport, but this was not possible because they had crossed over to Cameroun. “Under international charter which Nigeria was a signatory, Nigerians were free to decide when to return back home especially with the cover of the International Organization for Migration, which had opened camps in that country.”
According to Sidi, IOM informed the Nigerian Government about the closure of it camps which necessitated them to transport the refugees to the Nigeria’s border for the government to receive them.
The IOM Chief of Mission of in the Republic of Cameroun, Mr Roger Charles Evina who accompanied the returnees, appreciated the cooperation of the Federal Government through NEMA in the prompt reception of the citizens. He said the closure of the IOM camps have led to the returning of all persons living there to the various countries including citizens of Nigeria and Mali among others.
