The Deputy Governor of Cross River State, Rt. Hon. Peter Odey has stated that State government would partner with Ministry of Interior on how to tackle the influx of refugees.
Odey, who stated this during a courtesy visit on him by a team from the Ministry of Interior on Monday, said it is high time we brought benefits to border communities by providing them with basic necessities of life.
The Deputy Governor noted that one major challenge facing the State is a large influx of refugees who come in their drones.
He said Cross River State has four international borders and currently hosts 52,000 Cameroonian refugees, the highest in Nigeria.
Hon. Odey regretted that some of the clashes in border communities were the result of identity and called on the federal government to ensure that Renewed Hope is felt by all Nigerians including those in border communities so that Nigerians who are in such communities will know that they are recognised by their own country.
He expressed regret at the recent abduction and eventual death of a traditional ruler in Belegete, one of the mountain communities in Obanliku by some Cameroonians.
Speaking earlier, the Team Lead of the Integrated Border Governance and Inter-Ministerial Committee set up by the Federal Ministry of Interior, Mrs. Comfort Kabirwa, said the purpose of the visit is to identify problems on site in order to proffer solutions.
Kabirwa said some of the strategies for tackling the problems in border communities include the use of technology and trending best practices.
She said the communities remained at the receiving end of these challenges hence the need for an inter-ministerial committee.
Equally speaking, the Comptroller S. A. Agba, said the visit would provide information that could lead to the establishment of outposts for various security agencies to regulate migration and immigration which will curtail the influx of foreigners and eliminate the infiltration of Amazonian fighters.
By Ndifreke Bassey, The Beagle News
