The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is seeking partnership with the Federal Government to facilitate the meeting of the tripartite commission to stem forceful return of Nigerian refugees from Cameroon.
Mr Antonio Canhandula, UNHCR Representative to Nigeria and ECOWAS, made this known on Friday in Abuja, during his visit the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Geoffrey Onyeama.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the commission was set up in March after the signing of a tripartite agreement between UNHCR, Nigeria and Cameroon on the voluntary repatriation of Nigerian refugees.
UNHCR is helping to respond to the needs of more than 2.5 million people who have become refugees, internally displaced or returnees across the Lake Chad region as a result of armed conflict.
In June, it cautioned against the forceful return of Nigerian refugees from Cameroon following the return of 887 refugees.
Canhandula said that the UNHCR sought to meet with the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Interior to develop the modalities for more organised return of the refugees.
“For the tripartite meeting, there are two meetings: one at the level of the commission and another at the level of the technical committee.
“We are trying to suggest to the Minister of Interior that the agenda should focus on convincing Cameroon on the need to be more orderly in their return and consider that the areas of return are not necessarily ready to receive all these people.
“Of course, we will have the technical committee which probably will look into the practical modality of organising the returns.
“Certainly in 2018, we should really start facilitating returns,” he said.
The UNHCR representative said that the meeting would hold on Aug. 10.
NAN reports that between January and June, no fewer than 135,000 refugees returned to Nigeria, mainly women and children.
The majority left Minawao and Kolofata refugee settlements in the far North Region of Cameroon. (NAN)