June 20, (THEWILL) – Over 90,000 registered refugees from 34 countries are currently residing in Nigeria, the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants, and Internally Displaced Persons (NCRMI) said Tuesday.
The Federal Commissioner of NCRMI, Hajiya Imaan Suleiman-Ibrahim, made this known on Tuesday, in Abuja, during a walk awareness program
Deputy Representative of the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) in Nigeria, Bernadette Muteshi, said the walk was to create awareness on World Refugees Day and also show solidarity.
Muteshi, who drew attention to the concerning surge in global displacement figures, said “Over the past decade, the number of displaced individuals has surged from 51.3 million to an alarming 110 million at present.”
She stressed the urgent need to address the growing crisis and called on individuals and communities to take action to reverse the upward trajectory.
Statistics by the UNHCR show that at the end of 2022, more than 100 million people were forcibly displaced globally.
The statistics also showed that about 35.3 million of those were refugees, crossing international borders to escape war and human rights abuses.
The ongoing conflict in countries including Ukraine, Afghanistan, and violence in Sudan have contributed to the massive numbers of displaced people.
Every year on 20th June, the world celebrates the strength and courage of people, who have been forced to flee their home country to escape conflict or persecution. It also acts as a forum to foster understanding and sympathy for their plights, create awareness about their difficulties, and fight for their rights.
The theme for the 2023 World Refugee Day, “Hope Away from Home”, captures Nigeria’s commitment to its refugee program since becoming a signatory to the 1951 UN Convention on Refugee.
