The first batch of 300 Nigerian refugees has returned to Gwoza in Borno State, marking the commencement of the fourth phase of an ongoing repatriation exercise.
The returnees, made up of 75 households, arrived in Pulka, Gwoza Local Government Area, in a coordinated and dignified homecoming, signalling a major step in the state’s efforts to resettle displaced citizens.
For the families, the journey was more than a physical relocation; it represented an emotional transition from years of displacement to rebuilding their livelihoods after spending about 11 years in an Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camp in the Republic of Cameroon.
The development followed Borno State Governor, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum’s visit to the refugees’ camp in Cameroon on December 8, 2025, where he assured them of a voluntary, safe, and dignified return to their ancestral homes.
Chairman of the Borno State Sub-Committee on Repatriation, Engr. Lawan Abba Wakilbe, described the exercise as a major achievement of the present administration.
“This homecoming is a testament to our collective resolve. We are not just moving people; we are restoring lives and reigniting hope in our communities,” Wakilbe said.
Demonstrating regional solidarity, the Governor of the Far North Region of Cameroon, Minjinyawa Bakari, personally bade the refugees farewell, reaffirming cross-border cooperation in mitigating the humanitarian consequences of insurgency in the Lake Chad region.
On arrival in Pulka, the returnees were formally received by local authorities and security officials. In emotional scenes, some returnees knelt to touch the soil of their homeland, others offered prayers, while children—many of whom had spent most of their lives outside Nigeria—looked on with curiosity at their ancestral home.
As part of the reintegration support, each household head received ₦500,000 in cash, while each wife was given an additional ₦50,000 to ease resettlement. The Borno State Government also provided mattresses and wrappers, while the National Commission for Refugees supplied essential food items, including rice, millet, beans, and cooking oil.
The current phase of the repatriation exercise forms part of a broader strategy by the Borno State Government to stabilise resettled communities, rebuild critical infrastructure, and restore livelihoods in areas affected by insurgency.
Those who accompanied the Chairman of the Sub-Committee included members of the Borno State House of Assembly representing Kaga, Gwoza and Gulumba constituencies—Honourable Mustafa Alibe Benishiekh, Buba Abatcha, and Baba Shehu Gulumba—as well as the Chairman of Gwoza Local Government Area, Abba Shehu Timta, and an official of the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons, Mr. Murdakai Titus.
