Tens of thousands of refugees in neighbouring countries want the Borno State and federal governments to honour their promise of repatriating them to their ancestral hometowns.

Tens of thousands of refugees in protective camps for displaced persons in Chad, Cameroon and Niger are pleading with the Nigerian government to repatriate them.

Mostly from Nigeria’s northeastern Borno State, the refugees are pleading with the government to enable them to return home – even if it means staying in an internally displaced persons’ camp in the state.

“As long as it is back in Nigeria – we just want to go home,” said Ya Bosam (not her real name), a Nigerian refugee who is living in a protective camp in Diffa in the Niger Republic.

Refugees in all three neighbouring countries have been begging to be repatriated for years. Most of them fled from Borno State to escape persistent and deadly attacks by insurgents from the Jamā’at Ahl as-Sunnah lid-Da’way Wa’l-Jihād (JAS), more commonly referred to as Boko Haram, and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP).

Many of them have been away from their homeland for more than 10 years.

This week, the Borno State government reiterated its commitment to repatriate its citizens taking refuge in Chad, Cameroon and Niger.

Sugun Mai Mele, the Commissioner of Local Government and Emirates Affairs and a member of the state committee on the repatriation of refugees in the neighbouring countries, told RNI that “all necessary measures” were in place to successfully repatriate Nigerian refugees.

“The Borno State government has already put in place strict security measures – particularly in the Abadam Local Government Area. The security situation has improved so it is no longer the problem it has been in past years. The military and other security operatives are working hard to ensure the safety of citizens and there is lasting peace.

“The state government has not forgotten the refugees who are taking refuge at various camps in Chad, Cameroon and the Niger Republic. It is aware of their plight and their living conditions.

“However, the major challenge that is affecting the repatriation processes and plans is the rainy season. Overflowing rivers in the Lake Chad region have destroyed many routes, making many towns between Nigeria, the Niger Republic, Chad and Cameroon inaccessible.

“For example, the Maiduguri-Dikwa highway was cut off by the massive flood that occurred on September 10. This is the main highway linking Nigeria to Chad. The state government cannot risk the lives of refugees and officials. The highway is muddy and there have been instances of insecurity. It is not safe yet.

“Plans and measures are in place, though,” Mele said. “Once the floodwaters have fully receded, the routes should be accessible and passable again. That is when we will start to repatriate refugees to their ancestral hometowns of Laiyi, Duji, Gashayar and Malam Fatori in the Abadam district of Borno State.

“The government has already successfully resettled refugees in the ancestral communities of Banki town in the Bama Local Government Area and Damasak town in the Mobbar Local Government Area.”

Responding to claims by refugees that they are starving, do not have clean water and lack essentials, Mele said: “Despite the bad roads, worsened by the heavy rains we have experienced, the state government is struggling hard to provide humanitarian aid, including food and non-food items, to all refugees.

“We even considered using a helicopter to deliver aid but we realised that a chopper could not carry the large quantity of food and non-food items needed by the refugees.

“But we are working to ensure the successful transportation of humanitarian aid to refugees in all locations by the grace of God.”

Nigerian refugees in the three neighbouring countries said they had heard it all before – and they are still living in “horrendous” conditions in foreign lands.

Ya Bosam told RNI that she and her family had fled from Malam Fatori in Abadam because of the insurgency.

“Boko Haram attacked us week in and week out. We could not take it anymore and we fled to Niger. We are staying in a protective refugee camp in Diffa. We have been here for about 10 years.

“The conditions in the camp are horrendous. We do not have enough food and there is no clean water. Access to doctors is limited. Our children cannot go to school. We are in urgent need of humanitarian aid. If things go on the way they are, we will die here in Diffa. We want to go home.”

Ya Bosam said most of the women and children were starving and were severely malnourished.

“We have pleaded with the Nigerian government several times to repatriate us but nothing has been done. The government makes promises but it does not keep to its word.

“We do not care if we have to live in an internally displaced persons’ camp in our hometown of Malam Fatori, just as long as we are back in our home country. We know there are still issues of insecurity in Malam Fatori but we want to go home.”

Alhaji Abubakar is also living in a protective camp in Diffa Province.

“We do not have food or water. And the shelters are inadequate. We lack basic amenities and there’s no proper sanitation. The camp is congested and dirty. It’s unhealthy – our kids keep falling ill.”

Abubakar said most of the refugees in the camp – 80% – were originally from the Abadam district of Borno State.

“We fled more than 10 years ago because it was too dangerous to stay in Abadam. Innocent people were dying every day. I suspect the people who did not flee to Niger might have gone to stay in community camps in Maiduguri. Just about everyone fled from Abadam because they feared death.

“Some of the refugees who came to Diffa Province live in Grain Wanzam, others are in Tumur village.

“The living conditions are unbearable. We need to return home. We are begging the government of Nigeria to come to our aid.”

Ya Momodube (not her real name) stays in Dar Al Salam, a community camp for refugees in Chad.

She told RNI that most of the women and children in the camp are suffering from malnutrition.

“We have spent more than 11 years here, despite the poor living conditions. We do not have enough to eat. There is no clean water and we lack basic amenities.

“We used to get humanitarian aid – food and non-food items – on a regular basis but for the past three months we have not received anything from either the government or non-governmental organisations [NGOs].

“Many women and children are suffering from hunger and malnutrition.

“Our children are always hungry. There is simply not enough food to go around. They get thinner and thinner and they fall ill often.

“Everyone is struggling to get food and clean water for their family. Fights break out over the smallest amount of food. It is terrible to see your family go hungry when you cannot do anything about it.

“If the Nigerian government does not repatriate us to our ancestral hometowns soon, we will die here of starvation.”

Babagana Bulama Ganjer accused the Nigerien government of demolishing shops and other structures on the streets where refugees tried to make a living.

“Throughout the years we have been in Diffa Province, we were not sitting idly doing nothing. We have always tried to make a living so that we could feed our families.

“We did not have land to farm so many refugees engaged in small-scale business activities on the streets. But now the Nigerien military government has demolished the shops and stalls belonging to refugees and other petty traders because it said the structures were illegally built.

“As a result, many of us lost our only means of livelihood. All we are asking is that the Nigerian government repatriates us to our hometowns where we can live in peace in a dignified manner. We want to go home. We want to be able to make a living and feed our families. Our government has told us it will help us to go home. Now is the time.”

SHETTIMA LAWAN MONGUNO