Former Senate Leader and Senator representing Borno South, Ali Ndume, has commended the federal government and Borno State Governor, Professor Babagana Zulum, for the successful relocation and resettlement of displaced persons by Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) insurgents, who had lived in exile in Cameroon for over a decade.
Ndume said the ongoing repatriation marked a major milestone in the restoration of communities devastated by insurgency in Borno State, particularly Gwoza Local Government Area, where many of the returnees fled.
Investigations revealed that the resettlement followed a tripartite agreement involving the federal government, the Borno State Government and the Government of Cameroon, with the support of the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR).
The agreement, signed in Yaoundé in 2017, provided a framework for the safe, dignified and voluntary return of Nigerian refugees who escaped terror attacks and took refuge at the Minawao camp and other locations in Cameroon.
The pact was executed during the tenure of the then Minister of Interior, Lt. Gen. (Rtd) Abdulrahman Bello Dambazau, who led a high-level Nigerian delegation that included then Governor of Borno State and current Vice President, Senator Kashim Shettima.
Ndume noted that Zulum has sustained close collaboration with the federal government and the UNHCR to fast-track the repatriation of tens of thousands of displaced Borno indigenes.
In a statement issued, weekend, in Abuja, the former Senate Chief Whip applauded the Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration and the Borno State Government for remaining committed to the resettlement programme.
“I commend the federal government for the tripartite agreement with the Borno State Government, the Government of Cameroon and the UNHCR, which has ensured the repatriation and resettlement of Nigerian refugees from Minawao in Cameroon back to Gwoza Local Government,” Ndume said.
He also praised the resettlement of Wala village in Gwoza and lauded Governor Zulum for fulfilling his pledge to restore electricity to the area, which had been in darkness for more than 10 years due to insurgents’ destruction of power infrastructure.
“The effort to restore electricity in Gwoza is highly commendable. The governor made this promise during the installation of the Emir of Bama, and he has kept his word,” Ndume added.ReplyReply allForward
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