The United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) has appealed to security agencies in Nigeria to see the refugees identity card as a valid means of identity and freedom of movement.
Mr Antonio Canhandula, the Commission’s Country Representative to Nigeria and ECOWAS, said this on Thursday in Calabar during a visit to the state Commissioner for International Development Corporation, Mr Francis Etta.
Canhandula said that the appeal became necessary following the non corporation of some security agencies whenever they came across Cameroonian refugees in the state.
According to him, some security agencies fails to recognise the refugee’s identity card presented to them by the refugees whenever they were out of their settlement.
“We have registered the refugees in the state and the registration was done in collaboration with the government. We are here to support the government in receiving, supporting and assisting the refugees in finding durable solutions for their problems.
“When we talk about the refugees not being recognised by all branches of security agencies, we are saying that the refugees should have the right to move around in Nigeria to realise their potentials; buy, sell and interact.
“But, from time to time, when some refugees stop in certain places, they show their identity card which is clearly marked as refugees.
“In some places they let them move normally, but in other places they have serious issues recognising the refugee identity card as a valid document.
“The freedom of movement is a fundamental human right. Whether you are a refugee or not, moving around is something that you want to do to express yourself economically, culturally, financially and in all manners.”
He said that the security agencies also have the right to protect the territorial space to know who is moving around, maintaining that the identity card needs to be recognised by all parties as a valid document for movement.
He told the Commissioner that UNHCR had moved its base to Ogoja Local Government Area of the state due to the high population of the refugees, adding that the number of Cameroonian refugees in the state was above 27,000.
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Speaking, the Commissioner, represented by the Permanent Secretary, Mr. Gabriel Akpele, said the decision by the UNHCR to train the refugees to acquire self-employed skills was commendable.
Mr Princewill Ayim, Acting Director-General of Cross River State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), said that Gov. Ben Ayade of the state was passionate about the welfare and security of refugees.
Ayim assured UNHCR that the state government would continue to collaborate with the commission to alleviate the plights of refugees in the state.
