Reps Seek Urgent Intervention In Nigeria-Cameroon Refugees’ Crisis Over Gold Mining

The House of Representatives has called for urgent intervention in the Nigeria-Cameroon refugee crisis, banditry and environmental pollution arising from the discovery and mining of Gold in Kwande Local Government Area of Benue State.

Consequently, the House urged the National Security Adviser and Security Agencies to review the security situation within the region and the Nigerian-Cameroonian border areas in Benue and to implement urgent and proactive steps to curb further deterioration of the peace and security in the area.

It also directed the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons to look into the Cameroonian refugee situation and the IDP’s with a view to either resettling them permanently within Nigeria or relocating them to their communities.

These resolutions were sequel to adoption of a motion under matters of urgent national importance moved by Hon. Terseer Ugbor, the member representing Kwande/Ushongo Federal Constituency at plenary on Tuesday.

Moving the motion, Ugbor said Kwande local government has suffered violent attacks termed as farmers-herders clashes leaving many indigenes either dead, badly injured or homeless, and without farmlands and a source of livelihood for over 10 years.

The lawmaker said, over the past few days 16 persons have been killed along the Ugbema-Jato Aka road due to the internal crisis between neighbouring communities.

He said to make matters worse, the Cameroonian Anglophone crisis between the Cameroonian military and the Separatist Ambazonian fighters spilled over and created a refugee crisis at the Nigerian-Cameroon border in Kwande Local Government.

Ugbor stated that over the last several years another dimension to the insecurity in Benue and particularly in Kwande local government has been the discovery of Gold, Lithium and other precious minerals.

He said the influx of local and foreign illegal miners infiltrating the region has caused daily security unrest, environmental pollution and possible food crisis as most able-bodied young men and women have abandoned their farmlands for mining sites.

According to him, if this trend is left unchecked, Benue will become the next banditry hotspot just like the case of Zamfara State over the last several years due to the illegal gold mining.

“The people of Kwande have cried out to the authorities for support and succor but little help seems to come their way as so many lives have been lost and business activities suspended leading to massive drop in trade and Internal Generated Revenue (IGR) for the communities and Benue state.

“The Nigerian-Cameroonian international border through Kwande Local Government of Benue State had been approved with the potential to enhance trade between the neighbouring countries and create massive economic activities.

“But with the discovery of precious minerals and the clashes between Cameroonian and Nigerian communities have begun to escalate due to the rush to own these precious minerals, adding to the already volatile security situation in the area,” Ugbor stated.

Adopting the motion, the House urged the Nigerian Immigration and Nigerian Customs Service to establish an international border post and necessary infrastructure to enhance commerce and trade between the countries.

It also asked the Federal Government to takeover and develop the road network from Ugbema to Jato Aka to Kashimbila and the international highway to the Cameroon border, so as to open the region for massive investment and trade for the benefit of the Nigerian economy and security of the region.