Thousands of Nigerian refugees flee to Cameroon over Boko Haram's atrocities

Within 48 hours, nearly 30,000 Nigerians crossed the El-Beid River, the natural border between Cameroon and Nigeria, to escape Boko Haram’s atrocities.

These civilians are from Rann in northeastern Nigeria, a city now controlled by jihadists, after the departure of Cameroonian and Nigerian soldiers who protected it.

These refugees add up to the 9,000 others who preceded them last week.

“I can never go back. I barely made it out. I lost my firstborn son. Now I’m here and I can’t leave. I will die here in Cameroon”, said Nigerian refugee, Amma Zarama Hamat.

According to the Norwegian Refugee Council, nearly 100,000 people have fled their homes in northeastern Nigeria since November 2018. It called on Cameroon to “keep its borders open” to accommodate these civilians.

On Tuesday, the UN launched an appeal for $ 848 million for humanitarian projects in this part of Nigeria.

An additional $135 million will be needed to help the country’s 228,500 citizens, refugees in Cameroon, Chad and Niger.

AFP