6.1m refugees taking shelter in northern states – FG
The Federal Commissioner for the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI), Tijjani Aliyu, has said over 6.1 million refugees are currently taking shelter in the northern states of the country. Aliyu stated this in Abuja yesterday while announcing that Nigeria is ready to receive more refugees from the United States of […]
The Federal Commissioner for the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI), Tijjani Aliyu, has said over 6.1 million refugees are currently taking shelter in the northern states of the country.
Aliyu stated this in Abuja yesterday while announcing that Nigeria is ready to receive more refugees from the United States of America.
He said, “The refugee commission has built eight resettlement cities in some northern states to resettle the refugees from abroad as over 6.1 million internally displaced persons are currently taking shelter in 136 camps. The cities can accommodate 40 households, with about 200 persons expected to be in each camp.
“Also, the Nigerian government has commenced multi-sectoral arrangements for the repatriation, settlement and empowerment of over 100,000 Nigerian refugees scattered in neighbouring countries, including Cameroon, Niger and Chad.
- Police arraign Ogun monarch over assault of 73-yr-old man
- Reps summon FCT director over land racketeering
“Similarly, the federal government is putting everything in place to absorb and resettle the prospective deportees that would be affected by what he described as a mere policy statement by the Trump administration. We are going to match his statement with action,” Mr Aliyu said.
He added that the government would now leverage its position as the chair of the Rabat Process, a key Euro-African dialogue on migration and development, to push for the softening of some of the stringent international immigration laws mainly tilted against Nigeria and other African countries.
Nigeria’s accession to the leadership role was formalised at the senior officials meeting of the Rabat Process, which was held on January 2 9–30, 2025 in Porto, Portugal.
He added that as Chair of the Rabat Process, Nigeria will prioritise youth and innovation, facilitating pathways for regular migration, improving migration data management, promoting human rights and dignity, addressing the challenges posed by climate change on migration patterns, combating human trafficking and reimagining reintegration.