The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has urged the Cameroonian authority not to send Nigerian refugees back to the Boko Haram violence they fled from.
Despite warnings, Nigerian refugees and asylum-seekers who fled Boko Haram violence continue to be returned from Cameroon, UNHCR said, underscoring the need to accord international protection to those in need.
“We appeal once again to the authorities in Cameroon to refrain from further forced returns and to ensure protection to those fleeing insecurity and persecution in Nigeria.
“This is in accordance with Cameroon’s national and international obligations,” UNHCR said.
Since the beginning of 2018, 385 Nigerians refugees and asylum-seekers had been forcibly returned from Cameroon, the majority of them in March, including 160 on April 10 and a further 118 a week later.
In total, the UN agency has registered some 87,600 Nigerian refugees in the country.
UNHCR said: “The forced returns are in violation of the principle of no forced returns or non-refoulement.
“They are also a significant setback to progress previously achieved by Cameroon in granting asylum to Nigerian civilians fleeing Boko Haram violence”.
UNHCR also noted that it recognised legitimate national security concerns of States affected by the Boko Haram crisis, and stressed that it is important that refugee protection and national security are not seen as being incompatible.
“Properly functioning screening, registration and asylum systems help safeguard host country security,” it said.
UNHCR reiterated its support to the Government of Cameroon to ensure that all those seeking international protection have access to efficient screening and registration procedures, as well as appropriate reception arrangements. (NAN)
Tag: boko haram
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‘Don’t send Nigerian refugees back to Boko Haram violence’
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‘Don’t send Nigerian refugees back to Boko Haram violence’, UN urges Cameroon
The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has urged the Cameroonian authority not to send Nigerian refugees back to the Boko Haram violence they fled from.
Despite warnings, Nigerian refugees and asylum-seekers who fled Boko Haram violence continue to be returned from Cameroon, UNHCR said, underscoring the need to accord international protection to those in need.
“We appeal once again to the authorities in Cameroon to refrain from further forced returns and to ensure protection to those fleeing insecurity and persecution in Nigeria.
“This is in accordance with Cameroon’s national and international obligations,” UNHCR said.
Since the beginning of 2018, 385 Nigerians refugees and asylum-seekers had been forcibly returned from Cameroon, the majority of them in March, including 160 on April 10 and a further 118 a week later.
In total, the UN agency has registered some 87,600 Nigerian refugees in the country.
UNHCR said: “The forced returns are in violation of the principle of no forced returns or non-refoulement.
“They are also a significant setback to progress previously achieved by Cameroon in granting asylum to Nigerian civilians fleeing Boko Haram violence”.
UNHCR also noted that it recognised legitimate national security concerns of States affected by the Boko Haram crisis, and stressed that it is important that refugee protection and national security are not seen as being incompatible.
“Properly functioning screening, registration and asylum systems help safeguard host country security,” it said.
UNHCR reiterated its support to the Government of Cameroon to ensure that all those seeking international protection have access to efficient screening and registration procedures, as well as appropriate reception arrangements.
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Two Boko Haram commanders surrender to Nigerian Army
Maj.-Gen. Rogers Nicholas, the Theatre Commander, Operation Lafiya Dole, said two Boko Haram commanders and the insurgents’ physician have surrendered to Nigerian Army.
He made the disclosure when he presented the surrendered insurgents in Maiduguri.
Nicholas said a woman leader of the insurgents’ group and three children also surrendered to the troops at Kumshe in Bama Local Government Area of Borno.
He added that the insurgents voluntarily surrendered, noting that the move was acceptable under the Safe Corridor Scheme initiated by Federal Government to encourage the insurgents to lay down their arms.
The theatre commander explained that the military initiated contact with the insurgents to encourage them to surrender, adding that more insurgents had indicated their interest to lay down their arms.
He said “we had a contact group and two insurgents’ commanders, a local doctor and their women leader and their children surrendered to the troops.
“We gave them clothes, food and medication and assured them of safety: we are not killing anybody.
“Our duty is to protect lives and property, we call on the insurgents in the bush to come out, surrender and join the peace building process.”
He pointed out that the surrendered insurgents would be engaged in deradicalisation, rehabilitation and skill acquisition training programme for possible integration into the society.
In their submission, Ali Musa, the insurgents’ physician, said he conducted surgical operations such as bullet extraction, appendix, treatment of wounded insurgents, ante natal and post-natal services in the camp.
Ali said he was indoctrinated and misled by the sect leaders, adding that the sect activities had damaged his life.
Umar Ibrahim, one of the insurgents’ commanders, said he surrendered voluntarily as he became fed up with the group’s inhuman activities.
Ibrahim disclosed that hundreds of insurgents were willing to surrender to the troops but their leaders prevented them from doing so.
“We were told that the army will kill us and feed on our flesh when we surrender.
“The sect’s leaders also planted landmines to stop us from coming to the troops.
“Many insurgents are willing to surrender in view of the fact that we are against the destructive ideologies propagated by the sect.
“We hardly feed, people are starving due to the lack of food in the camp.
“We want peace and we want to join in building peace in our country, we ask Nigerians to forgive us.”
Ibrahim called on other insurgents to surrender and commended the military for taking care of them.
NAN
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Boko Haram: Military to reintegrate Northern Borno IDPs – Buratai
…Protect them for four months
…Insists sects been defeated on Nigerian soil
Plans have been concluded by the Nigerian military to reintegrate Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) from Northern Borno back to their communities, Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Gen. Tukur Buratai said on Thursday.
He said the IDPs, who fled their residences following attacks from terrorists’ sect, Boko Haram, would be returned home and protected by the military for four to five months.
Buratai disclosed this during a telephony conference organised by the United States Mission, Nigeria to wrap up the African Land Forces Summit, 2018.
Fielding questions from journalists in various African countries, Buratai said: “First look at where we are coming from, where we are and where we are going to. Boko Haram as a formidable force used to move around freely across the country. Before 2015, they had reached Abuja, Lokoja, Sokoto, Kano, Kaduna, Jos, Bauchi and virtually across many part of the country especially the northern and central parts.
“But since 2015, there was no major attack outside the northeast. In 2017, there was no major attack in the northeast. In this context, you will agree with me that Boko Haram has been defeated. Even within the northeast where we have suicide bombings and few isolated cases, they use propaganda as one of thier tactics.
“If you are in Maiduguri or any part of the Northeast, you will know Boko Haram has been defeated.
Boko Haram is restricted between very few isolated areas. They have been moving from one point to another and we have continued to pursue them. We were not in Sambisa forest about a year or two ago but today we are firmly rooted in the Sambisa forest.
“Along the border areas we have some attacks where they cross over from Cameroon to attack. With the combined efforts of all our forces, we are working together to get them contained.
“As far as I am concerned, the narrative is that Boko Haram has been defeated. We have gone further than that. Many of the residents have started moving to their communities. The latest one is in Bama Local Government of Borno. The movement is still ongoing.
“Very soon people will return to all those areas where they were displaced and start their lives again. We have to apply all the necessary means available to provide essential amentities, like schools, hospital for them to be able to move around.
“The insurgents have not been able to hold any ground or move freely like before. Do not be carried away by the propaganda of the insurgents. People hardly pay attention to the efforts security forces are making.
“The whole of Nigerian Army is moving to Northern Borno State to bring back those who left and we would stay with them in the next four five months.”
Continuing, Buratai said there was need for Africa countries to work together to combat terrorism, adding that challenges of porous border, trans-border intrusion and other immigration concerns needed to be addressed.
He said: “So we also take advantage of that to see that the right troops are mobilized to ensure that we degrade Boko Haram terrorists. Collaboration with our neighboring countries is very important and crucial to complete eradication of the Boko Haram terrorist.
“You see that the effort of the Multinational Joint Task Force (MJTF) is most fundamental in the effect that there is need for us to continue to work together and this is being done right now with the bilateral as well as multilateral arrangement in place.
“As it is, our troops are working alongside each othe. Therefore, there is need for total cooperation. We need to put our forces on ground and for necessary gadgets to be put in place. We are working to ensure right direction and right political support is gotten in terms of road infrastructure, health facilities, schools.”
Explaining the use of armed drones by the military in the northeast, Buratai assured that precautions were taken, adding that the drones were mainly deployed inside the Sambisa Forest.
“The drones are used as force multipliers and they also provide us with intelligence on the movement of arms. We also them to monitor the movement of troops and also mark the insurgents. It helps us improve response time of our troops in any area.
“Some of our neighboring countries using these facilities will help us facilitate quick reactions before terrorists attack.”
Acting Commander, US Army Africa, Gen. Eugene LeBoeuf said the focus of the summit was to bring the armies of the region together in order to tackle security challenges.
“It was to ensure protection, safer logistics cooperation among the African continent. To support African partners in security operations through training techniques. Insecurity is one of the major forces we are confronted with.”
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Looters’ list: Dickson slams APC’s leadership style
Says party chasing shadows
urge Bayelsa to accept public sector reform
Bayelsa State Governor Seriake Dickson on Wednesday said the Federal Government led by the All Progressives Congress (APC) was engaged in shadow-boxing while abandoning the real essence of governance.
The governor described as childish the party’s constant attacks on the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) including APC’s lamentation that it inherited an empty treasury from the PDP.
“You don’t need to say that you inherited an empty treasury. Are treasuries full to be handed over. Treasuries are supposed to be used to work”, he said.
The governor, who spoke at a live broadcast in Yenagoa to address knotty issues arising from the ongoing public sector reforms in the state said at the end of its first term, APC would be judged by its achievements and not by the failures of the PDP.
Admitting that the PDP made its mistakes, he said the party in power should concentrate on righting the alleged wrongs of the PDP instead of engaging in blame games.
He asked the party to learn from him noting that when he took over from the past administration, he wasted no time blaming his predecessor and pursuing past officials despite what he saw in the files.
He said: “Sometimes you have a feeling that the APC even though in power is still in opposition and still on a campaign mode. I would have thought that after all the things that they said PDP didn’t do well and you claim Nigerians have voted for you, so you do the things rightly.
“Here in this state, there was a governor, who was there for almost six years, and I know what I saw in all the files, all projects and programmes. Have I wasted any time looking behind to pursue people?
“We used a red line across it and we did things differently. The point is that at the end of the day, you will every incumbent including the APC, they will be judged not by the failure of the preceding government, but by what they themselves had done.
“I think as the days and months are drawing closer, they will come to that realisation. And the sooner they realize that they will be judged by what they do or fail to do and not what the PDP didn’t do, the better.
“PDP is gone and the APC has won and supposedly they won because of those things that they are still talking about for three years. So, I consider it very childish. I thought that they should have done better than they are doing. Quite frankly, the PDP made its mistakes but the PDP also achieved a lot for our democracy and for our country”.
Dickson lamented that the country was divided sharply under the APC-led government and asked the ruling party to ensure Nigeria’s unification.
The governor decried the wanton killings of citizens on daily basis by not just Boko Haram but also by the armed herdsmen.
He said instead of facing the issues and tackling the violence headlong, the APC was dissipating its energy on looters’ list.
“There is too much division in the country now. So, the APC led government has to unify the country. There has to be a country first before you can claim you are in power or in government. They have not been able to unify the country.
“Look at the wanton killing and destructions of precious Nigerian lives not only by Boko Haram but now by herdsmen and we are told that they are foreigners, which means we under a foreign invasion.
“Yet you are not addressing those concerns and issues. You are talking of PDP. One list today and tomorrow another list. Yet we all know ourselves in this country. I believe hat our politics should be mature. We are not enemies.
“That we are in different political parties does not make us enemies. Even if we are not friends because w have a number of friends in all parties, at least we are Nigerians. We are human beings. So, in the first place, we share a common humanity. So, we should treat one another with respect if not with love”.
Dickson further asked the people of the state to brace up to the ongoing public sector reforms insisting that his administration would ensure effective and productive public sector.
He lamented the rots in the sector and likened the state’s payroll to the voter register where he said all kinds of names could be found.
He said in 2012 he inherited over N5bn monthly wage bill in the service and N1.6bn in the local government area but worked very hard through various verification committees to bring it down to N3.7bn for state and N1.1bn for the council.
He said all his efforts were geared towards handing over a disciplines, efficient public service to the incoming government adding that the motive was not to sack anybody.
While saying that genuine workers affected by the exercise would be re-absorbed and redeployed to other areas, he insisted that persons who had no reason to be in the service must go.
“We want to leave behind a reformed, repositioned, motivated and efficient workforce.
Whatever is good for this state, we are going to get it done.He said: “Those who would be affected are citizens, we have to look at genuine issues. We are working in avenues to ameliorate the hardships and create other avenues for survival.
“Many states are sacking workers. The central focus is not to sack. It is repositioning.
In this reforms, those with teaching qualification, working in the parastatals, who can teach, the state needs all of them.
“We have ways of absorbing people on the condition that they must be existing workers, they must be committed workers. If you are a workers in Abuja, Lagos Port Harcourt, this state has fed you enough for the past 20 year. Enough is enough”.
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NAF destroys Boko Haram’s vehicles in Lake Chad
… Several insurgents killed
The Nigerian Air Force said on Tuesday its troops successfully destroyed some Boko Haram vehicles found in the Lake Chad region.
NAF’s Director of Public Relations and Information, AVM Olatokunbo Adesanya, who confirmed this in a statement issued in Abuja, said the operation was carried out on April 13 by the Air Task Force as part of Operation Lafiya Dole.
He said: “Earlier on, a Nigerian Air Force (NAF) Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) aircraft had discovered Boko Haram activities, with some vehicles mounted with guns moving within the location.
“Accordingly, the ATF detailed NAF Mi-35M Helicopter gunships to conduct Air Interdiction strikes to take out the targets.
“Overhead the location, the attack platform acquired, interdicted and neutralised the targets with rockets and cannons.
“The subsequent Battle Damage Assessment (BDA) revealed that at the end of the attack, a Boko Haram gun truck, with its entire occupants, was completely destroyed and engulfed in fire.”
Adesanya said another terrorists’ vehicle was damaged and immobilised as a result of the attack, while several insurgents were killed in the process.
“The NAF continues to provide adequate air support through the ATF of Operation Lafiya Dole by conducting a range of air operations to create the necessary environment for ground operations to continue apace,” the NAF spokesman added.
NAN
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Update: 15 out of 113 remaining Boko Haram abducted Chibok schoolgirls alive – Salkida
Ahmad Salkida, a journalist known to have access to the leadership of the Boko Haram, says only 15 out of the remaining 113 kidnapped Chibok schoolgirls with Abubakar Shekau insurgents group are alive.
Salkida made this known in a series of tweet on his official twitter handle, revealing that 98 of the 113 remaining abducted schoolgirls had died as a result of cross fires and bombardments of the security forces.
He also disclosed that the remaining 15 girls are no longer in the control of Abubakar Shakau, further revealing that they are now ‘married’ and only their ‘husbands’ can decide their fates.
“Today, my painstaking investigations on the Chibok schoolgirls revealed that just a handful of the 113 Chibok Girls are alive. Many of the girls have died as a result of cross fires and bombardments of the security forces that no doubt were intent on rescuing them. I regret to state here that only 15 out of the 113 Chibokgirls are alive today, based on my investigations in the last 3 months and we have already seen some of them in a video, which I exclusively obtained”he said.
“What is the status of the remaining 15 girls as far as negotiations are concerned? My investigations also revealed that, they are no longer under the control of Abubakar Shekau. According to sources, they are now ‘married’ and only their ‘husbands’ can decide their fates. If they are divorced or the men are killed that is when Shekau’s decision takes precedence, and in this instance, since the girls have been indoctrinated, their leader has no right to negotiate for their release, no matter the ransom offered, reliable multiple sources said”.
“It will be unbearable to share the names of the 15 that are alive here, this is the responsibility of Govt. When I was involved I regularly provided proof of life. Govt must demand that to prove me wrong or stop negotiating for many of the girls that don’t exists.
The way out for these girls, is a military rescue or negotiate with individual captors to release their ‘wives’ in return for some kind of deal, but this will mean death to these fighters because the terror group now sees the girls as part of their own and must be protected”.
He also challenge the government to prove his claims wrong or stop negotiating the release of girls that don’t exist.
“It will be unbearable to share the names of the 15 that are alive here, this is the responsibility of Govt,” he said.
“When I was involved I regularly provided proof of life. Govt must demand that to prove me wrong or stop negotiating for many of the girls that don’t exist.
“My heartfelt condolences to the parents of the near 100 that have perished or have not returned home and apparently not with their captors. But you must always remember that your daughters were stronger than the rest of us that couldn’t do more to avert this catastrophe”.
Over 200 female students of government college Chibok were kidnapped by Boko Haram terrorists group four years ago while preparing for their examination.
While the government has been able to rescue 163 girls through negotiations with the leadership of the group, 113 are still believed to be held captive by the Shakau terrorists group
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Boko Haram has abducted over 1,000 children in Nigeria since 2013 – UNICEF
On the occasion of the fourth anniversary of the abduction of over 270 students of the Government Girls Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said on Friday that over 1,000 children have been abducted in the North East by the Boko Haram sect since 2013.
The figure includes the Chibok girls, a UNICEF representative in Nigeria, Mohamed Malick Fall, said.
He said these “repeated attacks against children in schools are unconscionable.”
Children, particularly young girls, are vulnerable to attacks by the militant group and the agency said they have been “consistently targeted and exposed to brutal violence in their homes, schools and public places.”
“Children have the right to education and protection, and the classroom must be a place where they are safe from harm,” he stressed.
He called for an end to “all grave violations of children’s rights” in the North East part of Nigeria.
The terrorists invaded the school on the night of April 14, 2014 and took away the girls.
A few of the girls managed to escape from their abductors while many others were released to the Federal Government after intense negotiations with the sect.
About 100 of them are still in Boko Haram captivity.
Leader of a Boko Haram faction, Abubakar Shekau, said in a video message that the girls have converted to Islam and have been “married off.”
Yana Galang, whose daughter Rifkatu is still missing, said she is hopeful her daughter would come back home, according to the cable news network, CNN.
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Troops kill three Boko Haram members, rescue 33
The Nigerian Army said on Thursday that troops of operation Lafiya Dole have killed three Boko Haram members during a gun duel in Borno State.
The army spokesman, Brig. Gen. Texas Chukwu, said in a statement that 33 people held captive by Boko Haram terrorists were also rescued by troops.
He said: “Troops of 28 Brigade on operation Lafiya Dole on 11 April 2018 while on clearance patrol in conjunction with hunters and vigilantes to Jaje Borno State had an encounter with some Boko Haram terrorists.
“Three members of the Boko Haram sect were neutralized during the exchange of fire.
“Similarly, troops also rescued 33 family members of Boko Haram terrorists comprising 15 women, six boys and 12 girls. However, their houses and property were also destroyed.
“The public are advised to always be vigilant and report any suspected movements to the security agency.”
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$1bn Security Fund: Reps urge FG to follow due process
The House of Reps has advised the Presidency to follow due process in obtaining one billion dollars from Nigeria’s Excess Crude Account ( ECA ) to fight insurgency.
Spokesman of the House, Rep. Abdulrasak Namdas (Adamawa-APC), gave the advice in an interview with our correspondent on Wednesday in Abuja.
Namdas said that the National Assembly had not received any notice on such need of government, nor had it given any approval for one billion dollars to be taken from the ECA for the military to fight insurgency.
According to him, the normal practice in Nigeria is that any amount to be withdrawn from the Federation Account must have approval from the National Assembly.
“We are hoping that this will be brought before us before any amount is withdrawn.
“Although from the presidency we have heard some explanations that the president has not approved.
“What we have been told is that the National Executive Council (NEC) has given its tacit approval and that it will still come to the National Assembly.
“But until we approve, no single amount can be taken from that account,” he said.
The All Progressives Congress ( APC ) – Federal Government has been under criticism following President Muhammadu Buhari had approved one billion dollars from the ECA to procure more military hardware to fight Boko Haram terrorism.
NAN