A recent study carried out by the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) revealed that no fewer than 36, 000 people have fled their homes in the North-eastern Nigerian states of Borno, Yobe and Adamawa to seek refuge in neighbouring nations, on account of the Boko Haram insurgency.According to Ms. Angele Dikongue-Atangana, the UNHCR Representative to Nigeria and ECOWAS, while about 19, 000 of the 36, 000 refugees are Chadians and Nigeriens who have been forced to return home, the remaining 17, 000 are bonafied Nigerians who are now seeking asylum in neighbouring Cameroun, Chad and Niger.Incidentally, these three countries into which the fleeing Nigerians have flocked, have over the years had many of their citizens seeking refuge and better lives in Nigeria.In essence, they do not have the capacity to accommodate the influx of such a large number of refugees from Nigeria or any other country. As a matter of fact, none of our neighbouring countries has the capacity to handle the kind of refugee situation that could arise from any serious breakdown of law and order in Nigeria. It is disheartening that Nigerians now have to resort to seeking asylum in less endowed countries like Cameroun, Chad and Niger. This is more so because, out of about 1,800 refugees in Nigeria as at the end of last month, 865 were Cameroonians. Until now, Nigeria had provided a safe haven for refugees from other African countries, notably Liberia, Sierra Leone, Mali, Chad, Niger, Sudan, Cote d'Ivoire and Congo. Our porous borders have made it easy for those fleeing from unemployment, hunger and starvation in neighbouring countries to cross into Nigeria without any form of documentation.We are now faced with a situation in which citizens of our Big Brother nation, Nigeria, are running to countries that are managing to survive, because of Islamist insurgents!
Thursday, November 21, 2013
17, 000 Nigerians Seek Asylum In Cameroon, Chad And Niger Over Boko Haram Threat
A recent study carried out by the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) revealed that no fewer than 36, 000 people have fled their homes in the North-eastern Nigerian states of Borno, Yobe and Adamawa to seek refuge in neighbouring nations, on account of the Boko Haram insurgency.According to Ms. Angele Dikongue-Atangana, the UNHCR Representative to Nigeria and ECOWAS, while about 19, 000 of the 36, 000 refugees are Chadians and Nigeriens who have been forced to return home, the remaining 17, 000 are bonafied Nigerians who are now seeking asylum in neighbouring Cameroun, Chad and Niger.Incidentally, these three countries into which the fleeing Nigerians have flocked, have over the years had many of their citizens seeking refuge and better lives in Nigeria.In essence, they do not have the capacity to accommodate the influx of such a large number of refugees from Nigeria or any other country. As a matter of fact, none of our neighbouring countries has the capacity to handle the kind of refugee situation that could arise from any serious breakdown of law and order in Nigeria. It is disheartening that Nigerians now have to resort to seeking asylum in less endowed countries like Cameroun, Chad and Niger. This is more so because, out of about 1,800 refugees in Nigeria as at the end of last month, 865 were Cameroonians. Until now, Nigeria had provided a safe haven for refugees from other African countries, notably Liberia, Sierra Leone, Mali, Chad, Niger, Sudan, Cote d'Ivoire and Congo. Our porous borders have made it easy for those fleeing from unemployment, hunger and starvation in neighbouring countries to cross into Nigeria without any form of documentation.We are now faced with a situation in which citizens of our Big Brother nation, Nigeria, are running to countries that are managing to survive, because of Islamist insurgents!
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