BEVERLY HILLS, February 23, (THEWILL) – The United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) has revealed that Cameroon has forcibly repatriated more than 500 Nigerians who had fled into the country due to the Boko Haram insurgency.
UNHCR in a statement declared that a total number of 517 Nigerians were sent back to their home country, including 313 who had applied for asylum.
UNHCR Cameroon tweeted that it was “very concerned by these repatriations and continues to advocate for access to asylum and the principle of non-refoulement” (the practice of not returning refugees to a country where they could face persecution.)
UNHCR however declared that it planned to sign an agreement with Nigeria and Cameroon on March 2 that would see 85,000 Nigerian refugees voluntarily resettled in their home country as more than 61,000 refugees are currently living at the Minawao camp and a further 20,000 at the Logone-et-Chari camp in Cameroon’s far north region.
THEWILL recalls that Nigeria and Cameroon worked together in fighting Boko Haram insurgents and contributed troops to a regional taskforce aimed at routing the militants.
The task force succeeded in preventing the sect from carrying out organised attacks which eventually led to the dislodging of the group in its major locations, including Sambisa forest in Borno state, Nigeria.
About the Author
