Some 197 Nigerians displaced by the crises in Central African Republic, CAR, have returned home after first taking refuge in Cameroun, the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, has announced.

The director general of the agency, Muhammad Sani Sidi, who received the displaced Nigerians at a border post in Mubi, Adamawa State, said that the Nigerian government had evacuated its citizens in CAR following the escalation of the conflict in the country but could not help the 197 who had crossed into Cameroon under the International Organization for Migration, IOM, agreement.

Sidi explained that the Nigerians were free to decide when to return home especially given the cover of the IOM, which had opened camps for them in CAR.

The NEMA boss explained further that the IOM was closing the camps and had informed Nigeria of the plan and had transported the 197 displaced persons to the Sahuda, in Mubi and that the agency was receiving them on behalf of the government

Sidi, who was represented by the director of NEMA’s Search and Rescue, Charles Otegbade, an Air Commodore, said the returnees were fully screened by security agencies at the border before being allowed into the country.

The IOM Chief of Mission of IOM Cameroun,  Roger Charles Evina who brought the accompanied the returnees to Mubi expressed appreciation for the cooperation shown by the Nigerian government through NEMA in receiving the displaced persons.

The 197 returnees from 12 states have since been transported back to their homes states.

While 64 of them are from Adamawa State, 40 are from Borno State, 29 from Yobe State and 15 are from Bauchi State.

There are also 16 from Gombe State, 13 from Kano State, sic from Taraba State, two each from Sokoto and Plateau states and one from Kaduna State.