We must treat repatriation of IDPs with urgency, Osinbajo tells resettlement committee

Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo says the repatriation of displaced Nigerians from neighbouring countries should be attended to as an emergency.

According to a statement by Laolu Akande, his spokesman, the vice-president spoke on Monday at a meeting with the presidential committee on the repatriation, return and resettlement of displaced persons in the north-east.

The committee was inaugurated by President Muhammadu Buhari on February 2, 2022, with Osinbajo as chairman and Babagana Zulum, governor of Borno, as vice-chairman.

According to Osinbajo, bringing back displaced persons from Cameroon, Niger and Chad should be conducted without hindrances.

“We simply don’t have the time to get into too much bureaucracy so that we are able to deliver on all of the issues,” he was quoted as saying.

“We should immediately do whatever it takes to commence the process of repatriating our people home.

“Already, there are several initiatives. We need to deal with all of that working as quickly as possible to achieve the terms of reference and of course, ensure that all other initiatives continue to run in the way that they are designed to run.

“There is no reason why we cannot return our citizens to their homes.”

The vice-president also asked for the constitution of three technical working groups for the “work plan, repatriation exercise and rehabilitation of repentant Boko Haram combatants”.

He added that the federal government and states will work with stakeholders to ensure safe repatriation of the displaced persons.

Other members of the committee present at the meeting were Abubakar Malami, minister of justice; Geoffrey Onyeama, minister of foreign affairs; Sadiya Umar Farouq, minister of humanitarian affairs; Bashir Magashi, defence minister; and Babagana Monguno, national security adviser.

Also present were Lucky Irabor, chief of defence staff; Usman Baba, inspector-general of police; and other security chiefs.