The House of Representatives has urged the National Security Adviser (NSA) to review the security situation within the region and the Nigerian-Cameroonian border areas in Benue State and to implement urgent and proactive steps to curb further deterioration of the peace and security in the region.
This was sequel to a Motion of Urgent National Importance on ” the Need For Urgent Intervention In The Nigeria – Cameroon Refugee Crisis, Banditry And Environmental Pollution Arising from the Discovery and Mining of Gold in Kwande Local Government Of Benue State,” moved by Hon. Terseer Ugbor.
The House also encourage the Nigerian Immigration and Nigerian Customs Service to establish an international border post and necessary infrastructure to enhance commerce and trade between the countries.
It also encourage the federal government through the Federal Ministry of Works to takeover and develop the road network from Ugbema to Jato Aka to Kashimbila and the international highway to the Cameroon border, so as to open the region for investment and trade for the benefit of the Nigerian economy and security of the region.
The House also Directs the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs, to look into the Cameroonian refugee situation and the IDP’s with a view to either resettling them permanently within Nigeria or relocating them to their communities.
“Notes that Kwande Local Government borders Cameroon on the north, Cross River to the east and Taraba to the west. The local government has suffered violent attacks termed as farmers-herders clashes leaving many indigenes either dead, badly injured or homeless, and without farmlands and a source of livelihood for over 10 years, especially the people of Turan and Ikyurav-ya districts. Over the past few days 16 persons have been killed along the Ugbema – Jato Aka road due to the internal crisis between neighbouring communities.
“To make matters worse, the Cameroonian Anglophone Crisis between the Cameroonian military and the Separatist Ambazonian fighters spilled over and created a refugee crisis at the Nigerian-Cameroon border in Kwande Local Government.
“In 2018, the Federal Government officially recognized the Cameroonian refugees in Nigeria and established a refugee camp in partnership with the United Nations and other agencies,” the motion reads.
