Revealed: Nigerian and Central African refugee population on a rise in Cameroon

New data from the Office of the United Nations for refugees has revealed that tens of thousands of Nigerians and Central Africans entered Cameroon in less than three months. According to the UN agency, since January 2016, Cameroon has welcomed over 2,425 Nigerian refugees in the Far North region. A consistent influx that now bears to 70,658 Nigerian refugees verified and registered in Cameroon since May 2013. Cameroon Concord understands this figure includes 54,806 Nigerian refugees living in the Minawao camp. 

Within the last three months, more than 13,000 Nigerian refugees were registered in Gourouguel transit center in the Far North region. These are in addition to 57,581 Nigerian refugees verified and pre-recorded by UNHCR since May 2013, of which 44,889 live in Minawao camp. Figures revealed in September 2015 at the 6th Session of the Ad Hoc Inter-Ministerial Committee of Emergency Management regarding refugees in Cameroon.   The report prepared in the framework of a visit to Cameroon by the Assistant High Commissioner for Protection, Volker Turk,made public the difficulties caused by the large influx of Nigerian refugees in Cameroon.

UNHCR complained of the limited capacity of Minawao camp to accommodate new refugees - 55 000 people to a space built to accommodate 18 000 - and the difficulty of access to drinking water at the Minawao camp. The report notes as well as that water supply by the Water trucking system decreases by the day, due to the drying up of water point at Louti Mayo.   Recent data from UNHCR also reported that 267 148 new CAR refugees have been registered in the eastern regions of Adamawa and North.