No fewer than 4, 000 Nigerian refugees returned home from
Niger Republic in the past one month, the United Nations Office for the
Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UN-OCHA), has said.
OCHA said in its North-East Humanitarian Situation Report
that the returnees were registered in various locations in Borno State for the
month of October.
OCHA explained that the affected persons were forced to flee
their homes in the heat of Boko Haram insurgents’ attacks in the northeast
region.
According to the UN agency, humanitarian organisations had
mobilised and provided shelter and clothing items for the returnees. It said
that humanitarian bodies had also scaled up activities to provide emergency
shelter to the displaced persons and address the problem occasioned by the
rainy season.
“With the end of rainy season, the sector has scaled up its
provision of emergency and reinforced shelter in Monguno 2, 560; Damboa 2, 075;
Bama 2, 000; Gwoza 1, 560; Kala-Balge 1, 000; Mobar 975; Dikwa 680; Kaga 540;
Yola North 300,; Damaturu 181 and Jere 158.
“The sector has particularly been focusing with other
sectors on addressing the congestion and major gaps in the existing site in
Bama and speed up the construction of a new site,” the UN agency said.
It disclosed that about 688, 314 persons were captured in
biometric registration exercises in Bama, Damboa, Konduga and Ngala Local
Government Councils of Borno, as well as Madagali and Yola South in Adamawa.
It added that to
address the issue of statelessness, the sector assisted 102, 800 returnees and
Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) under 17 years of age to secure Birth Registration
Certificates in Damasak, Banki, Gamburu-Ngala and Monguno communities in Borno
State.
Similarly, some 20, 000 displaced persons were supported to
obtain statutory declaration of age and indigene letters required for the
issuance of National Identification Card. On protection against Gender-Based
Violence (GBV), the document showed that 71, 850 women were supported and
provided with hygiene kits while 12, 650 received psycho-social support. It
further disclosed that 1, 250 humanitarian workers and volunteers were trained
on protection against GBV, while 52, 750 members of the community were trained
on best practices to promote prevention of gender-based violence. “Over 18, 650
children received psycho-social support, 25 children reunited with their
families and 600 others freed from armed groups benefited from integrated child
protection services,” it said.
OCHA noted that the Tripartite Commission for the Voluntary
Repatriation of Nigerian Refugees from Cameroun would continue visitation to
the affected areas as part of the highlights of activities for 2018.
It disclosed that delegations from Cameroun and Niger were
billed to visit Adamawa, Yobe and Damasak, to assess areas identified for
receiving the first batch of returnees expected to arrive in January.
A 16-day sensitisation campaign would be conducted in
December, as part of activities to commemorate International Day to End
Violence against Women. According to the document, the UN agency in partnership
with humanitarian actors would prioritise planning for humanitarian response
activities based on the review of the 2017 strategy and the observed evolving
needs to upgrade shelter quality, harmonisation and camp management.
“With the dry season and continued military operations, new
humanitarian needs are expected to rise. To cope, the sector is updating its
contingency plan with strong emphasis on potentially needed preposition of
materials and strengthening of reception capacity.” NAN
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