33,000 displaced persons relocate to Cameroon

Over 33,000 residents of Gwoza in Borno State displaced following Boko Haram attacks and killing are taking refuge in four different border towns and villages of Cameroon without relief materials from the state government since August, the Chairman of Borno State Chapter of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN), Bishop Mohammed Naga yesterday said.

The cleric, an executive member of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) while briefing Governor Kashim Shettima at the refugees' resettlement centre, Wulari ward, said, "We have 33,000 people from Gwoza Local Government Area currently seeking refuge in different border towns and villages in Cameroon.

Your Excellency, the displaced Gwoza residents are taking refuge in Marwa, Mokolo, Fotokol and three other villages of Cameroon and are yet to return or repatriated by the state government through Yola, because of insecure border roads along the Gambouru-Dikwa-Gwoza-Madagali axis in Borno and Adamawa states."

Naga therefore, appealed to the state government to evacuate and return the trapped fleeing residents to Nigeria, adding that the Camerounian government has said that they cannot retain displaced persons more than necessary, as they have overstayed, since the capture of Gwoza on August 6, 2014.

Naga also told the governor yesterday that 4,761 displaced people from Gwoza are currently camped at his church and appealed for their relocation to other camps, as the facilities and food are overstretched.

Governor Shettima, in his response, announced a donation of N10 million to the displaced persons on behalf of the state government and N1 million as his personal donations to the CAN camp, before they are relocated to the Maiduguri camps.

He also donated N2 million for the evacuation of those trapped displaced persons taking refuge in Cameroun to Maiduguri, for resettling and accommodation.

Meanwhile, Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume, who represents Borno South Senatorial District, said as long as the Federal Government and stakeholders continue to prioritise next year's general election over ending Boko Haram insurgency, the "security and welfare of citizens" as contained in the 1999 constitution will remain threatened.

Ndume's words; "What amazes me most was that even we that are seriously affected by this Boko Haram insurgency in the Northeast sub-region, are so worried about elections than the situations we find ourselves for the last four or five years here in Borno and other affected states in the sub-region. And I begin to wonder why things are happening like this. I just pray that God will make us understand even the problems that we are facing. It seems even the people that are directly affected, are asking did you purchase your nomination election forms, but we don't have Gwoza right now, because it has been captured and occupied by insurgents since last August, including Damboa. We should concentrate on getting peace."

He said because of the ongoing insurgency that has displaced tens of thousands of people from Borno South Senatorial District, he was yet to pick up his nomination form to contest because of the cold feet he has already developed.