05 Nov 2017 | 07:29 AM UTC
Nigeria: Thousands of refugees from Cameroon's Anglophone regions flee to Nigeria
UNHCR statement released October 31 reports thousands from Cameroon's Anglophone regions seeking refuge in Nigeria's Cross River state
Event
Thousands of Cameroonians are reportedly fleeing unrest in the country's Anglophone regions and seeking refuge in Nigeria, per a UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) statement on Tuesday, October 31. The UN and Nigerian authorities have reportedly registered 2000 refugees in southeastern Nigeria, with 3000 more awaiting registration, since a resurgence of violence erupted in the Anglophone regions of Cameroon in early October. UNHCR and the Nigerian National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI) are currently dispensing humanitarian aid materials in Nigeria's Cross River state, and are allocating aid resources for up to 40,000 Cameroonian refugees who may flee from the country's Northwest and Southwest regions to Nigeria.
Context
The emerging Cameroonian refugee crisis has exacerbated an already serious humanitarian situation in Nigeria, as the Boko Haram insurgency in northeastern Nigeria and the Far North region of Cameroon near Lake Chad has displaced roughly 2.5 million people.
Simmering resentment that dates back to the period of independence has resurged within the minority Anglophone community in Cameroon over the past year, sparked by the central government's decision in November 2016 to not translate a law into English. The period since November has been marked by the closure of all English-speaking schools, strikes, unrest, and sporadic violence. Tensions between English and French-speaking communities have escalated considerably in recent weeks, coinciding with the October 1 anniversary of the creation of the Federal Republic of Cameroon. While some protesters have called for independence for Anglophone Cameroon, others conversely demand better integration and an end to what they allege is the political and economic marginalization of the region.
Advice
Individuals in Nigeria are advised to closely monitor the situation, adhere to advice issued by local authorities or their home governments, and avoid any protests or large gatherings due to the risk of associated violence.
