… As NIS moves to register irregular immigrants in Enugu***

The United Nations on Monday said nearly 40,000 more people had been forced to flee into Nigeria by worsening humanitarian situation in north-west and south-west regions of Cameroon.

The UN indicated this, just as the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) says it would meet with Chairmen of Local Government Areas of Enugu State towards a hitch-free E-registration of irregular migrants and non-Nigerians in the state.

Briefing UN correspondents in New York on Monday, a spokesman of the organisation, Mr Farhan Haq, said 530,000 others had been internally displaced.

No fewer than 1.3 million people are now in need of assistance, Haq said, adding that the situation “continues to be characterised by human rights and protection abuses and violations”.

The crisis in the English-speaking regions started in 2016 when separatists launched an armed struggle for a breakaway state they call Ambazonia.

Government forces have responded strongly, leading to accusations of extra-judicial killings and burning of villages.

But recently, there has been a focus on abuses allegedly committed by the many separatist groups too, including kidnappings, according to the BBC.

Haq said at Monday’s briefing that 2,800 protection violation incidents had been reported in the first six months of this year.

“House destruction and child protection violations are those reported in greatest numbers.

“Meanwhile, in the far north of Cameroon, attacks by non-State armed groups against villages have intensified since the beginning of the year, leading to new displacements.

“Around 1,300 people were reportedly being displaced last week alone.

“Attacks also resulted in dozens of civilian deaths, hundreds of houses set ablaze, and widespread looting of civilian goods,” he said.

The UN spokesman said the response in Cameroon remained one of the most “critically underfunded humanitarian responses globally” in spite of increased humanitarian needs.

According to him, only 20 per cent of the 300 million dollars requested by the humanitarian community this year has been received.

Also read:  Cameroon, Nigeria discuss return of 4,000 refugees

Meanwhile, the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) is set to meet with Chairmen of Local Government Areas of Enugu State towards a hitch-free E-registration of irregular migrants in the state.

The NIS Comptroller in the state, Mr Ayodele Arogundade, disclosed this on Monday in Enugu during a courtesy visit to Gov. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, saying the exercise, which would be done at both the state and local government levels, would ensure internal security of lives and property of such areas.

He appealed to the governor to facilitate a crucial meeting of all the council chairmen in the state whom he described as critical stakeholders in the project.

Arogundade said such meeting would enable the command to adequately enlighten the council chairmen and other stakeholders on the importance of the registration exercise.

“The exercise will enable officers make extensive efforts to identify and document every non-Nigerian residing in Enugu State,” he said.

He said the desire of the NIS was to strengthen the internal security of the component units of the country.

“We will continue to operate within the realms of our extant laws to check, control and monitor the presence and activities of non-Nigerians in Enugu state,” he said.

The comptroller commended the governor for his foresight and proactive measures in constituting a sectoral ad-hoc committee on security to enhance the peace and safety of lives and property of residents of the state.

Arogundade said the service was pleased with the cordial relationship between the NIS and the state government.

Responding, Ugwuanyi said his administration will continue to provide enabling environment for all agencies of government to thrive in the state.

He said the request made by the comptroller would be addressed and assured him of greater collaboration.