The Senate at its plenary session of Wednesday, 7 February 2018, called on the Nigerian military to deploy more personnel and intensify border control to host communities bordering Cameroun following current agitations for the independence of Southern Cameroon.

Presenting a motion titled “Influx of Refugees from the Republic of Cameroun to some border communities in Cross River State and its attendant security fallout” Sen. John Owan Enoh (PDP: Cross River) noted that the current agitation for the independence of Southern Cameroun had led to a migrant crisis in border communities like Cross River State. According to him, over 6,000 refugees fleeing the crisis in Southern Cameroun were currently resident at Obanliku, Boki, Etung and Ikom Local Government Areas of the State.

Sen. Owen-Enoh informed the Senate that as at 16 December 2017, the United Nations Human Rights Commission (UNCHR) had registered over 10,000 refugees in remote areas of Cross River State and indicated the possibility of more registrations. He stated that 80% of this figure comprised of children separated from their parents who had fled to Nigeria unaccompanied.

In addition, he explained that the rise in population of refugees had resulted to an increased demand for medical attention, shelter, food, and other basic needs. He also warned of an impending epidemic and humanitarian crisis that could result in a break down of the security situation along the Nigerian-Cameroun border if the current situation faced by refugees and host border communities was not addressed.

Lastly, he informed the Senate that over 80 Camerounian soldiers with various weapons had defied Nigeria’s territorial sovereignty by invading Danare in Boki Local Government Area of Cross River State to abduct 5 Cameroonians who they claimed were militants taking refuge in the said community.

Following his submission, the Senate resolved to:

• Urge relevant International organisations to address the festering crisis in Cameroun to proffer lasting solution;
• Call on the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) to intensify on-going efforts aimed at protecting the Cameroonian refugees and assist in their voluntary repatriation, local integration or resettlement ; and
• Urge all relevant agencies of government saddled with the responsibility of managing emergencies such as National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) to intensify their remedial efforts of providing relief materials to the refugees.