There are presently 3.2 million displaced persons living in Nigeria, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
UNHCR Deputy Representative in Nigeria, John McKissick, disclosed this while speaking at the ‘2022 World Refugee Day’ symposium held in Abuja over the weekend.
“The refugees in Nigeria come from 34 different countries with 94 per cent of them being Cameroonians,” McKissick revealed. “They are generously hosted in 25 different states in Nigeria and able to access schools, primary health care facilities, vocational and other livelihood opportunities in the communities where they have settled.”
READ: Refugee Commission: Number Of IDPs Increased In Past Year By One Million
According to him, the 3.2 million displaced persons included some 82,000 refugees, adding that the sum total implied a 9 per cent surge from last year.
Furthermore, there were over a 100 million persons displaced over the world, according to McKissick. He added that the theme for this year’s celebration: The right to seek safety, was apt.
Speaking on the theme, McKissick said all refugees should be entitled to safety regardless of their background.
He added that the UNHCR Nigeria was joining the road walk to enlighten people on the fundamental right of persons fleeing conflict or persecution to pursue safety.
READ: Humanitarian Ministry Sensitises IDPs Against Open Defecation, Donates Detergents In Bauchi
Also Speaking at the event, the commissioner in the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI), Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, said Nigerians had been generous to refugees over the years and encouraged them to keep up the good gestures.
According to her, there was a pilot health programme in place for refugees already, pledging that the federal government would soon broaden the programme to capture more refugees in the country.
