The Federal Commissioner, National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons, Hajiya Imaan Suleiman–Ibrahim says the commission will conduct an accurate nationality screening for refugees through strengthening capacity of its staff to enhance their services.
Hajiya Suleiman-Ibrahim stated this in Keffi at a two-day thematic group discussion on nationality screening for refugees in collaboration with the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR).
The objective of the training was to strengthen the capacity of case officers on nationality screening for asylum seekers, especially those whose claims present complex nationality issues, she said.
“Some asylum seekers, especially from neighbouring and nearby countries such as Cameroon and Central Africa, with whom Nigeria shares common boundaries and or ethnic and cultural ties and high incidents of inter-marriages and cross-border movements, present cases with complex nationality scenarios,” she explained.
The commission was, according to her, dedicated to “working with partners” towards the provision of “sustainable protection and assistance” as well as durable solutions for persons of concern, including refugees.
The UNHCR Representative in Nigeria, Chansa Kapaya, represented by the Senior Protection Officer, Mwihaki Kinyanjui, pledged that the Commissioners would continue to provide technical support for Nigeria in its refugee’s operations to meet international standards.
Reporting by Hadiza Abdulrahman: Editing by Daniel Adejo and Tony Okerafor