The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Mr. Phillipo Grandi, has expressed satisfaction with the way the Nigerian government is handling the welfare of refugees and Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs).
Mr. Grandi, who spoke when he met President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja praised “Nigeria’s determination to resolve the humanitarian crisis”
The UN High Commissioner, who had earlier visited Cameroun, Niger, and Chad, as part of his tour of the Lake Chad Basin region, said that his visit to Maiduguri, in Borno State, afforded him the opportunity “to see the excellent work being done by the authorities, with support of the international community.”
He stressed that he is leaving Nigeria with the conviction that things were under control, stressing: “a lot remains to be done, but I see progress. I have seen the protection given to the rights and privileges of civilians in the North-east, and it is commendable.”
Mr. Grandi said the UN would always be willing to assist Nigeria with resources and the needed expertise to resettle displaced persons.
This was even as President Buhar gave assurance that Nigeria will continued to be guided by international best practice and standards in rehabilitating millions of internally displaced persons (IDPs) spawned by the Boko Haram insurgency.
President Buhari said that Nigeria is making efforts to domesticate the Kampala Convention, which legally binds governments to protect the rights and wellbeing of people forced to flee their homes by conflict.
The President lauded the military, which he said has created a safe passage that has made it easier to help the displaced persons.
He disclosed that different mechanisms have been put in place to care for the displaced, in areas of nutrition, health, physical and spiritual rehabilitation, among others.
“About 150,000 refugees have also come back home from across the borders. Our sleeves are rolled up to face the challenges head-on, along with our strategic partners, “the President said, adding that Nigeria appreciated the continued collaboration of the United Nations. [myad]
