TheCable

The federal government says three villages will be constructed to resettle over 20,000 Nigerian refugees living in the neighbouring countries.

NAN reports that the refugees are those living in Lake Chad, Niger, and Cameroon.

Speaking on Tuesday at a technical committee meeting in Abuja, Babagana Zulum, governor of Borno, said about 20,000 Nigerians took refuge in those countries.

Zulum who is also the vice-chairman of the presidential committee on repatriation, return, and resettlement of refugees and management of repentant Boko Haram members, said President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the sum of N15 million for the construction.

He said the construction would be carried out by the Borno government, adding that food and other relief materials would be provided by the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA).

He said the repatriation exercise would be handled by the National Refugees Commission (NRC), while the defence headquarters would provide security for a safe evacuation process.

The governor further said the construction of villages and repatriation of the refugees would be carried out in phases, adding that the displaced persons would not be forced to return.

He added that only the refugees who are willing to return would be repatriated.