680 Nigerian Refugees Return Home as FG, Borno Conclude Cameroon Repatriation Drive
The Federal Government, in collaboration with the Borno State Government, has successfully concluded the repatriation of Nigerian refugees from Cameroon with the return of 680 persons to Banki town in Bama Local Government Area of Borno State.
Global Mirror News reports that the returnees, made up of 162 households arrived on Thursday February 5 from the Minawao Refugee Camp in Cameroon, marking the fourth and final batch under the ongoing coordinated repatriation programme.
This latest development effectively brings to a close the fourth phase of the joint repatriation exercise, coordinated by the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons (NCRM-IDP) in partnership with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
The fourth phase of the programme commenced on January 27, 2026, with the initial return of 300 refugees to Pulka in Gwoza Local Government Area, followed by subsequent batches to Banki in Bama LGA.
Speaking during a farewell ceremony in Cameroon, the Governor of the Far North Region, Minjinyawa Bakari, praised Borno State Governor, Prof. Babagana Zulum, for his consistent commitment to ensuring the safe, voluntary and dignified return of Nigerian refugees to their homeland. He encouraged the returnees to embrace productivity and rebuild their lives in their ancestral communities.
On arrival at the Nigerian border, the refugees were received by the Commanding Officer of the 152 Task Force Battalion, Lt. Col. Michael Ndubisi, the District Head of Banki, Mohammed Shehu Umar, alongside other Government officials and key stakeholders.
After initial documentation, the returnees were conveyed to a reception facility before being transported to their permanent housing units supported by UNHCR and constructed by the Borno State Government.
Addressing the returnees at the reception centre in Banki, Chairman of the Repatriation Committee, Engr. Lawan Abba Wakilbe, cautioned against attempts to exploit the repatriation process for personal or economic gain. He disclosed that the State Government would verify its records to identify individuals who may have resettled in Banki without officially cancelling their refugee status.
According to Wakilbe, any person finds culpable risks sanctions, including disqualification from housing allocations and livelihood restoration packages. He also commended the Federal Commissioner of the NCRM-IDP, Tijjani Aliyu Ahmed, for the Commission’s sustained support throughout the exercise.
Global Mirror News further gathered that Governor Zulum approved a comprehensive reintegration package for the returnees, which includes ₦100,000 for each household, ₦20,000 for each wife, as well as mattresses and wrappers.
In addition, the National Commission for Refugees provided essential food items such as bags of rice, beans, millet, cooking oil and assorted condiments to ease the reintegration of the families.
With this final batch, a total of 3,122 individuals comprising 557 households have now been successfully repatriated to Bama and Gwoza Local Government Areas—two border communities heavily impacted by the 16-year Boko Haram insurgency in Borno State.
