Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum, led a prominent Nigerian delegation to begin the repatriation of refugees who had sought refuge in Baga Sola, Chad, after fleeing the Boko Haram insurgency. A statement shared with PUNCH Online on Thursday revealed that the displaced individuals, mostly from Borno, had been away from their homes for almost a decade due to the insurgency that affected communities around Lake Chad.
The delegation included the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Dr. Yusuf Sununu, and the Federal Commissioner/CEO of the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants, and Internally Displaced Persons. They were warmly received in Baga Sola by Saleh Tidjani, the Governor of Lac Province, on Wednesday.
As part of the repatriation's first phase, 1,768 families, totaling 7,790 people, are set to return to Nigeria. Prior to launching the repatriation, Governor Zulum participated in a tripartite agreement signing in Baga Sola between the governments of Nigeria, Chad, and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
At the signing ceremony, Zulum emphasized that only those who voluntarily choose to return would be repatriated and thanked Chad for hosting thousands of displaced Nigerians.
The Nigerian delegation also included Abdulkadir Ibrahim Ghani, Head of Chancery at the Nigerian Embassy in N'Djamena, Hon. Karta Maina Ma'aji, a member of the Borno State House of Assembly, and several state commissioners.
Minister Sununu commended Governor Zulum for his leadership, noting his strong collaboration with the federal government during crises.
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