The Cross River State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) has said that at least 500 fleeing Cameroonian refugees have crossed the border into Bashu Community in Cross River.
The Director General of SEMA, Mr Princewill Ayim, said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Calabar on Moday.
The refugees were said to be fleeing from the alleged invasion of their community by Ambazonian fighters.
“We got the information yesterday that Ambazonian fighters invaded a community in Cameroon which shares border with Bashu community in Boki Local Government Area of Cross River.
“We learnt that while some people were shot dead in the Cameroonian community, no fewer than 250 were injured, while at least 500 have fled into Bashu for protection.
“We have constituted a multifunctional team of officials from SEMA, UN High Commission for Refugees.
“Others include National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced and Caritas Foundation to assess the situation after which we can determine the exact number of people that have fled into Nigeria,” Ayim said.
He, however, said that there was no report of anybody either shot or dead in Bashu community.
He said the agency became very concerned in the matter because of the number of the fleeing refugees into the country and the overstretched resources.
While appealing to Bashu Community to play the brotherly role and assist the Cameroonians, Ayim urged relevant agencies to assist the refugees and their host community.
NAN reports that the Ambazonian crisis in the English-speaking Southern Cameroon began in 2017.
It has led to a huge number of refugees who are in different refugee camps in the country. (NAN)
