Nigerian refugees in Cameroon reaches 39,000

The total number of Nigerian refugees in Cameroon now stands at some 39,000, the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) disclosed on Tuesday following recent attacks from insurgent groups in the north east of Nigeria prompting thousands more Nigerians to find refuge in Cameroon in the past 10 days.

“According to (Cameroonian) authorities, in the last ten days at least 9,000 people have arrived in Cameroon's Far North Region, more than 2,000 sought refuge in Niger, and more people continue to arrive,” UNHCR said in a release on Tuesday.

The new arrivals fled recurrent attacks in the past three weeks in the Gwoza area in Nigeria's Borno State, before reaching safety in Cameroon. Authorities report that 5,500 refugees have arrived in Kolofata, 3,000 in Kerawa and 370 in Mora, in the Mayo Sava and Logone-et-Chari districts.

The UN refugee agency regretted that even upon arrival in Cameroon, the refugees are not necessarily out of harm's way given that on Sunday, insurgents attacked Kerawa town inside Cameroon, forcing refugees and some local residents to flee further inland.

The release disclosed some newly arrived refugees are sleeping on the ground in schools and churches and children suffering poor health. UNHCR said it is very concerned that even once they have crossed into Cameroon, they are still being pursued by insurgents and we have already started to relocate some of the refugees to a refugee camp where they can enjoy safer conditions.