Okechukwu Nnodim, Abuja

A total of 239,834 Nigerians, who were displaced by the activities of the Boko Haram sect in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states, now live as refugees in neighbouring Cameroon, Chad and Niger.

According to the National Emergency Management Agency, over 100,000 displaced Nigerians reside in Niger, while the second largest refugees are in Cameroon.

Quoting from a recent report by NEMA, the agency’s Head of Media and Public Relations, Mr. Sani Datti, said on Monday that, “There are presently 20,804 displaced Nigerians living in the Republic of Chad; 80,709 in the Republic of Cameroon, and 138,321 in the Republic of Niger.”

He noted that about 29,581 displaced Nigerians, who fled their communities in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states to Niger and Cameroon, voluntarily returned last year.

Datti stated that 13,046 Nigerian returnees returned from Niger in May, 2015, and were received in Geidam, Yobe State.

According to him, between April and December, 2015, NEMA received about 16,595 Nigerians, who voluntarily returned from Cameroon through the Sahuda border area near Mubi in Adamawa State.

Datti noted that the agency adopted a monthly Humanitarian Coordination Meeting, a forum which consists of relevant Federal Government agencies, UN systems and international non-governmental organisations.

The forum, he said, undertook analysis on causes of humanitarian situations, conducted need assessments, identified and provided humanitarian interventions based on its respective mandates.

“The report added that due to the successes recorded by the Nigerian military with the support of Multi-National Joint Military Task Force in the fight against Boko Haram insurgents, the humanitarian dashboard is fast changing,” Datti said.

He noted that focus was gradually shifting towards reconstruction, rehabilitation, resettlement, recovery and dignified return of IDPs to their homes while the process for the return of Nigerian refugees from neighbouring countries was equally ongoing.

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