Nigeria: Over 30,000 Cameroonian refugees flee to Nigeria /update 1

Event

Humanitarian workers in southern Nigeria have reported that more than 30,000 registered refugees have fled to Nigeria due to violent unrest in Cameroon's Northwest and Southwest regions since October 2017 (as of late July), including 10,000 since mid-March. The majority have fled to the southeastern states of Cross River, Taraba, Benue, and Akwa-Ibom. The influx of refugees is expected to continue in the coming months, with a resolution to the current unrest in Cameroon's English-speaking regions unlikely in the near-term.

Context

Simmering resentment in the Anglophone regions dating to the period of independence has resurfaced within the minority English-speaking community in Cameroon's Northwest and Southwest regions since November 2016. Tensions between English- and French-speaking communities have escalated considerably since October 2017, when secessionists unilaterally proclaimed independence in the region. Armed separatists in English-speaking regions of Cameroon have killed over 80 soldiers and police since October, according to a report released by the government on June 20. Cameroonian authorities fear that Nigeria could be used as a base for Anglophone secessionists.

Advice

Individuals in the above states are advised to closely monitor the situation and adhere to any advice issued by local authorities and their home governments.