705 Nigerian refugees leave Cameroon

The Borno State Government has evacuated 705 displaced persons who fled Gamboru town in Ngala LGA for Fotokol in Cameroon Republic.

The Chairman of Ngala LGA, Alhaji Abdulrahman Abdulkarim, who received the refugees in Maiduguri, yesterday said: "Once more, some additional 705 Nigerian refugees who were trapped in Gamboru town and later found their way into Fotokol in Cameroon, have been evacuated.

We, last month, received the first batch of 2,500 refugees plus this second batch of 705 that just arrived Maiduguri. We now have a total of 3,205 returnees from Fotokol in Cameroon where they had been for months.

"We had to take long routes before reaching there due to the persistent insurgency which in the first place displaced our people, that is why it took us time to evacuate another batch. There, we still have more than 1,000 refugees who have been screened for the third batch and waiting to be evacuated home which we will immediately prepare for, God willing."

After arrival, the refugees comprising youth, women and children were thoroughly screened by members of the Civilian-JTF before they were allowed to reconnect with their counterparts in IDP camps.