Gwoza Bound: 300 Nigerian Refugees Begin New Chapter After 11 Years in Exile

By Abdullahi Alhassan, Kaduna

The first batch of 300 Nigerian refugees has returned to Gwoza in Borno State, marking the commencement of the fourth phase of a sustained repatriation exercise.

The returnees, comprising 75 households, arrived in Pulka, Gwoza Local Government in a coordinated and dignified homecoming. The journey for the families represented not merely a border crossing, but an emotional passage from displacement to building their livelihood after 11 years in IDP camp in Cameroon republic.

This milestone follows Borno State Governor Babagana Umara Zulum’s visit to their camp in Cameroon on 8 December 2025, where he pledged a voluntary, safe, and dignified return process. Chairman of the Borno State Sub-Committee on Repatriation, Engr. Lawan Abba Wakilbe described the exercise as a significant achievement in the lifetime of the present administration.

“This homecoming is a testament to our collective resolve. We are not just moving people; we are restoring lives and reigniting hope in our communities,” Wakilbe stated.

In a show of regional solidarity, the Governor of Cameroon Far North Region, Minjinyawa Bakari, personally bade the refugees farewell, reaffirming bilateral cooperation in addressing the humanitarian impact of insurgency around Lake Chad.

Upon arrival in Pulka, the returnees were formally received by local authorities and security officials. In a show of gratitude, some of the returnees knelt to touch the soil of their homeland; others offered prayers, while children many of whom had spent most of their lives abroad, observed their ancestral home with curiosity.

Each household head received ₦500,000 in cash, with an additional ₦50,000 to each wife to facilitate smooth reintegration. The Borno State Government provided mattresses and wrappers, while the National Commission for Refugees supplied essential food items, including rice, millet, beans, and cooking oil.

This phase of the exercise is a broader strategy to stabilise resettled communities, rebuild infrastructure, and restore livelihoods across insurgency-affected communities. Personalities that accompanied the Chairman of the Borno State Sub-Committee on Repatriation, Engr. Lawan Abba Wakilbe included members of House of Assembly representing Kaga, Gwoza and Gulumba Woloji, Honourable Mustafa Alibe Benishiekh, Buba Abatcha, Baba Shehu Gulumba, Chairman Gwoza local government, Abba Shehu Timta and official of National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons Mr. Murdakai Titus.