A total of 705 Nigerian refugees have safely returned to the country from the Republic of Cameroon, arriving in Banki, Bama Local Government Area of Borno State, in the second phase of an ongoing voluntary repatriation exercise.

The returnees, made up of 85 households, were officially dispatched from Maroua in Cameroon’s Far North Region on Thursday, where they were seen off by the regional governor, Midjiyawa Bakari. Their arrival represents another milestone in efforts to resettle Nigerians displaced by years of insurgency in the North East.

This development follows the earlier return of 300 refugees on Tuesday to Pulka in Gwoza Local Government Area, which marked the start of the fourth phase of the repatriation programme.

On arrival in Banki, the refugees were received by the Commanding Officer of the 152 Task Force Battalion, Lieutenant Colonel Michael Ndubusi, alongside the District Head of Banki, Alhaji Mohammed Shehu Umar. They were subsequently moved to a designated reception centre for documentation and processing.

The returnees are expected to be accommodated in newly built housing units under a reconstruction and resettlement initiative supported by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in collaboration with the Borno State Government.

Governor Babagana Umara Zulum’s administration has continued to prioritise the rebuilding of conflict-affected communities, with investments focused on rehabilitation, resettlement and the restoration of sustainable livelihoods.

Chairman of the Repatriation Committee, Engineer Lawan Abba Wakilbe, acknowledged the support of the Federal Commissioner of the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI), Hon. Tijjani Aliyu Ahmed. He disclosed that the state government’s return package includes N100,000 for each household head, N20,000 for each wife, as well as mattresses and wrappers.

Also speaking, a director at NCFRMI, Mr Murdakai Titus, formally handed over relief items and building materials to support the reintegration process, noting that the assistance was intended to address immediate needs and aid further shelter development.

Authorities have confirmed that three additional convoys of returning refugees are expected to arrive in Bama Local Government Area in the coming weeks, underscoring sustained efforts to facilitate the safe return of displaced Nigerians to their ancestral communities.