The national commissioner in charge of National Commission For Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI) Hajiya Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim has light up the Abuja City Gate as part of activities marking the celebration of the 2021 World Refugees Day.
Speaking with newsmen after the exercise, Hajiya Imaan, said the significance of the lighting up exercise was to celebrate the resilience and courage of the refugees.
She elaborated on plans of the Commission to better the status of refugees in Nigeria, noting that June 20 every year has been set aside by the United Nations as World Refugees Day (WRD) .
The national commissioner said, “20th of June is the day we celebrate with the refugees for their resilience and being courageous.This is part of the celebration and it has been ongoing for the last couple of days. Already, the honorable minister of humanitarian affairs, disaster management and social development has given a press statement updating the public on how we have fulfilled the pledges. We have also signed treaties. Nigeria has truly been refugee friendly.
“As of today ,we have 72,999 registered refugees and asylum seekers, also one of the celebrations that has been ongoing is the signing of Abuja as a refugee friendly city by the Honorable Minister of FCT, Mallam Mohammed Bello. Indeed Abuja is refuge for refugees, because as of today, we have over 700 refugees, some of them who are asylum seekers and some have assumed their refugee status.This is all part of the celebration.
“Today we have light up the city as part of the celebration. The significance is that we are performing our national obligations in accordance with the treaties we have signed at the Geneva convention. So we are assuring the world that we are being responsible and upholding to our commitment.
“The refugees do not ask to be displaced. We have Nigerian refugees in other countries and our doors are still open to those who have chosen Nigeria as home, ” she explained.
Hajiya Imaan further stated that she has been on the job as national commissioner in charge of NCFRMI for just one month.
Some of the refugees who also spoke to newsmen included Ndaga Yvonne Endam, Cho Ernest and Febsar Eric who all applauded the refugees Commission and the Nigerian government for it’s prompt response to their plight.
The theme for 2021 World Refugees Day celebration is “Together we can achieve anything” while the sub-theme is “Together we heal, learn and shine”.