According to Zulum, the money is meant to help returning citizens rebuild destroyed homes and restart livelihoods after over a decade of insurgency that turned entire communities to ghost settlements.
Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum, on Monday, stormed Minawao Refugee Camp in Cameroon’s Far North region with a cash-return pledge, announcing that every Nigerian who fled Boko Haram attacks and is willing to return home will receive ₦500,000 from his administration.
Addressing thousands of displaced residents, Zulum insisted that security in Borno, especially Gwoza axis, has significantly improved, claiming that coordinated military operations and community-based security structures have restored normalcy.
“The welfare of refugees, internally displaced persons, and returnees remains a priority for us,” he declared.
“Borno State, in partnership with the Federal Government, will provide ₦500,000 to each refugee who is willing to return home, while women-headed households will receive ₦100,000 each.”
According to Zulum, the money is meant to help returning citizens rebuild destroyed homes and restart livelihoods after over a decade of insurgency that turned entire communities to ghost settlements.
The governor of Cameroon’s Far North region, Mijinyawa Bakari, applauded Zulum’s repeated interventions in the camp, describing him as a rare example in leadership.
“Governor Zulum has consistently demonstrated genuine concern and responsibility for his people, even beyond Nigeria’s borders,” he said, praising the multiple humanitarian shipments Borno has sent over the years.
Bakari noted that Zulum’s hands-on involvement has helped stabilise refugee conditions and boosted cooperation between both countries on counterterrorism and civilian protection.
During the visit, Zulum inspected farmlands allocated to Nigerian refugees by Cameroonian authorities, now their only means of survival. Many have lived in Minawao for nearly ten years, unable to return due to recurring ISWAP and Boko Haram attacks back home.
Zulum pledged irrigation kits, boreholes, and farm support, insisting that restoring economic dignity is key to convincing refugees that life beyond the camp is possible.
“Empowering refugees to maintain their livelihoods is central to restoring dignity and ensuring a smooth transition back into their communities,” he stated.
Zulum maintained that camps in neighbouring Cameroon, Niger and Chad must gradually shut down as conditions in Borno improve, despite criticism from rights groups who argue that returnees remain vulnerable and basic services in many communities are still absent.
The governor was accompanied by Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume; Gwoza lawmaker Abdullahi Buba Abatcha; commissioners; and Gwoza Local Government Chairman.
If the evacuation begins, it will mark one of the largest organised returns of Boko Haram refugees since 2014, though questions remain about whether insurgency-hit towns have the infrastructure, health services, and security architecture to safely absorb thousands at once.
For now, Zulum says the state is ready. Refugees must decide if they believe him.