The federal government has repatriated 7,790 Nigerians from the Republic of Chad, where they fled for almost a decade due to the Boko Haram insurgency.
The Special Adviser on Media to Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno made this known in a statement on Thursday in Maiduguri.
According to the statement, Mr Zulum led the federal government’s delegation to Chad in the company of the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Yusuf Sununu, and the Chief Executive Officer of the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants, and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI), Aliyu Ahmed.
It stated that the delegation was received in Baga Sola on Wednesday by the Governor of Lac Province of Chad, Saleh Tidjani.
The statement said that the returnees, who are mostly indigenes of Borno, had been taking shelter in Chad after their communities around Lake Chad Basin were overrun by the insurgents.
It added that before launching the first phase of the repatriation, Mr Zulum attended the signing of a tripartite agreement between the governments of Nigeria, Chad, and the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) in Baga Sola.
The statement said that Mr Sunusi signed on behalf of Nigeria, Mr Tidjani on behalf of the Chadian government and Jerome Merlin, Second Representative of the UNHCR in Baga Sola, on behalf of his commission.
The statement, however, quoted Mr Zulum as saying during the ceremony that, of the refugees currently living in Chad, only those who voluntarily wished to return were repatriated.
It added that the governor further expressed gratitude to the government of Chad for hosting thousands of displaced Nigerians over the years.
“This exercise is entirely voluntary. We are grateful to the government and people of Chad for their hospitality and support in sheltering our people during their time of need.
“Now that peace has returned to many areas in Borno, we are prepared to help them reintegrate into their communities.
“In the first batch of the repatriation, about 1,768 families, comprising 7,790 individuals, will be transported back to Nigeria,” the statement quoted Mr Zulum as saying.
It also quoted the minister as commending Mr Zulum for his exemplary leadership and strong collaboration with the federal government in humanitarian efforts.
“I want to thank His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Borno State, for demonstrating leadership during crises and serving as a role model in terms of federal/state collaboration.
“His commitment to working with the Federal Government and international partners to ensure the well-being of displaced persons is commendable,” the statement quoted Mr Sunusi as saying.
It also reaffirmed the federal government’s commitment to supporting states in providing humanitarian assistance and ensuring the safe return of refugees to their communities.
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