February 12, (THEWILL) – The Federal Government says that Nigeria has 78,000 registered refugees drawn from Cameroon, Central Africa Republic, Eritrea, Chad and Pakistan, living all over the country.
The Federal Commissioner, National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI), Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, made this known at a town hall meeting with refugees and asylum seekers, recently in Abuja.
Sulaiman-Ibrahim advised refugees to remain law-abiding, stressing that the Nigerian government would not provide protection for those fomenting trouble.
She said, “We have about 78,000 registered refugees in Nigeria. I would like to encourage us all to be law-abiding.
“When you flee your country from prosecution, it is important that you should understand what that means. The government of Nigeria is kind to its neighbours.
“So, the moment you try to create problems, we will not give you cover because it is beyond our powers. We will protect you if you need protection. We cannot use the Nigerian resources to create problems for anybody.”
Sulaiman-Ibrahim promised to assist those whose properties were demolished in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
“I understand how you feel about your demolition. But trust me, nobody is entitled to anything. But for the gentleman who went through demolition, I will look into your papers and look at anything we can do or speak to well-meaning partners to see how they can support you”, she added.
