Repatriation of 3,000 Nigerians From Neighbouring Countries Reflects Worsening Hardship, Experts Warn

The recent repatriation of more than 3,000 Nigerians from neighbouring Chad, Cameroon and Niger has reignited concerns over the country’s worsening economic and security challenges, with experts describing the development as a stark reflection of the hardship forcing citizens to flee in search of safety and better opportunities.

A Lagos-based migration expert and founder of the Patriotic Citizens’ Initiative (PCI), Osita Osemene, summed up the situation, saying, “Many are the afflictions of Nigerians,” as he reacted to the Federal Government’s disclosure that thousands of Nigerian refugees had returned from neighbouring countries within the first six months of the year.

Nova News reports that migration has continued to rise as increasing numbers of Nigerians seek refuge from widespread hunger, poverty and persistent insecurity.

The Commissioner of the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI), Tijani Ahmed, disclosed during the recent commemoration of World Refugee Day in Abuja that about 3,000 Nigerian refugees voluntarily returned to Nigeria through Borno State in January 2026.

Ahmed explained that the commission had also facilitated the reception and registration of asylum seekers from Cameroon residing in Adamawa, Cross River, Benue, Taraba and Akwa Ibom states, as well as Nigerien asylum seekers living in Borno and Yobe states.

“About 3,000 Nigerian refugees were voluntarily repatriated back to Nigeria in Borno State in January 2026. Efforts are in place to sign a tripartite agreement for the voluntary return of Nigerian refugees in Niger Republic,” he said.

The NCFRMI commissioner expressed concern over the worsening humanitarian crises across several parts of the world, including Sudan, Syria, Cameroon, the Republic of Niger, Turkey, the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo and the Middle East, warning that the growing instability could increase humanitarian pressures on Nigeria.

He added that Nigeria had continued to uphold the humanitarian principle of non-refoulement by allowing asylum seekers free access into the country.

Also speaking during the event, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Representative to Nigeria, Arjun Jain, reaffirmed that seeking safety remains a fundamental human right.

Represented by the UNHCR Deputy Representative, Bernadette Muteshi, Jain noted that the international refugee protection framework established after the Second World War was intended to guarantee protection for individuals fleeing conflict and persecution.

“Today, that safety net is under immense pressure, but human rights are not negotiable.

“Safety should not be a privilege. No one is truly safe until the most vulnerable among us are safe.

“No one chooses to leave everything they love behind. The right to seek safety is a sacred promise of shared humanity,” he said.

The latest figures come barely a year after reports indicated that about 4,000 Nigerian refugees were living across Cameroon, Niger and Chad.

The disclosure has sparked widespread reactions, with many Nigerians attributing the increasing migration trend to worsening economic conditions and persistent insecurity across the country.

Rising food prices, declining purchasing power and frequent attacks by armed groups have continued to place millions of households under severe pressure. Across several parts of the country, residents have struggled with inflation, while insecurity has disrupted farming activities and displaced communities.

Educationist Mallam Sabiu Ibrahim said many Nigerians were leaving not because neighbouring countries offered better economic opportunities but because they hoped to find safer environments.

“They needed a place to run to for survival and they felt those African countries could be better. Unfortunately, they got stranded as they discovered that things were not as they seemed.

“Imagine the situation before the All Progressives Congress (APC) came to power and the situation today; it is an embarrassment. We are already sitting on a time bomb.

“Many even prefer to suffer and die in foreign lands instead of staying to die of hunger and starvation in their fatherland,” he said.

President of the Middle Belt Forum (MBF), Dr. Pogu Bitrus, described the migration trend as a true reflection of Nigeria’s prevailing socio-economic realities.

“So, what you see is a true reflection of our current reality. There are a lot of Nigerians spread across African countries who were chased out of Nigeria because of insurgency and economic situation.

“That is just the reality, but as long as there is insecurity, people will migrate and move out of this country,” he stated.

Similarly, an educationist based in Maiduwa Local Government Area of Katsina State, Abdullahi, described the situation as embarrassing and called for urgent government intervention.

Osemene maintained that the long-term solution lies in addressing Nigeria’s economic and security challenges.

“This number is just a tip of the iceberg. There are more Nigerians who are in terrible situations in so many other African countries.

“I think our leaders should just help us. They should try to fix this country. Nigeria is blessed with abundant human and mineral resources and they should not be found in these kinds of situations.

“The only way to stop people from migrating in such a large number is to fix the country. If the Nigerian economy starts booming, with security of lives and property assured, some of these unnecessary migrations will stop,” he said.

According to him, many Nigerians found in African countries were originally attempting to reach Europe through irregular migration routes passing through Libya and Algeria.

“But somehow, things don’t always work out as planned and you see many of them getting stranded in those transit countries like Libya and Algeria.

“As for those found in other African countries, you could say they were deceived to believe that things are greener over there. But when they got there, it was a different situation entirely.

“The truth is that many Nigerians are deceived and lured into migration believing that life is greener out there. Although even when the reverse becomes the case, many still prefer to remain in those countries because, if not for any other thing, at least they are sure of the safety of their lives.

“So, I think that our leaders should just fix this country and all this nonsense will stop naturally,” he added.