Nigerian Bishops in Cameroon: "Today this camp has become your Egypt"

The Catholic Diocese of Maroua in the far northern region of Cameroon and that  of Maiduguri in the northeast of Nigeria have a lot in common. Apart from sharing a common boundary, the people in the area have a similar language and culture. It takes at least an average of one hour to drive from Maroua into Maiduguri and vice versa.  When the environment was safe, before the Boko-Haram invasion, people from Maroua would enter into Maiduguri for business and pleasure. People used to go backwards and forth between the two borders without difficulties. Pastorally, the two Bishops of Maiduguri and Maroua have always utilised their cordial relationship to their optimum benefits. The Bishops visited each other often and would exchange Pastoral programs and personnel. 

Today, and sadly so, the story is no more the same. The border between Cameroon and Nigeria in the North-east is closed because of the Boko-Haram insurgency.  It is no longer possible to move freely in that area between the border towns of Maroua and Maiduguri. The Boko-Haram insurgency appears to have temporarily destroyed and put to a halt what used to be a peaceful and free exchange between the two border dioceses.

 “We have been good neighbours, until Boko-Haram separated us. We can no longer move freely into each other’s domain as a result of the insecurity created by the Boko-Haram insurgency,” said Bishop Bruno Ateba, the Catholic Bishop of Maroua in Cameroon.

It is in Maroua that over 36,000 Nigerian Refugees who were displaced by the Boko-Haram attacks are being housed by the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR).  Many of the Refugees, comprising men, women and children had to trek on foot for long distances days on end, without water and food, to get to where they are now. Safety has come at a heavy price for them as they are now sheltering in neighbouring Cameroon. Although happy to escape alive from the Islamic militant group, they now live in a camp made up of  UNHCR tarpaulins. They scratch around for food and water in the huge refugee camp north of Maroua which is now a temporary home, while hoping that the situation in Nigeria will be better so that they can go back to their ancestral homes.

“Providing pastoral care for over 36,000 Refugees is not an easy task. It is a big challenge for our diocese. That is why we brought the matter to the attention of the Episcopal Conference of Cameroun, who in turn notified the Episcopal Conference of Nigeria about the plight of the Nigerian Refugees here in our diocese” Said Bishop Bruno, the Bishop of Maroua where the Refugees are camped.

Last week 5 March, a delegation of the Episcopal Conference of the Catholic Bishops of Nigeria (CBCN) led by the Bishop of Umuahia and Chairman of the Catholic Caritas Foundation of Nigeria (CCFN), Lucius Ugorji, visited the camp popularly called Minawao Camp in Maroua Cameroon.  Also in the delegation were Bishops Oliver Dashe Doeme of Maiduguri; Stephen Dami Mamza of Yola; Rev. Fr. Evaristus Bassey, Executive Secretary of CCFN and Rev. Fr. Chris Anyanwu, Director of Social Communications at the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria(CSN).

The Nigerian delegation was welcomed and led into the camp by the Cameroonian Archbishop of Douala, Archbishop Samuel Kleda who is also the President of the Episcopal Conference of Cameroon.

“We are here on a fact-finding mission,” said Bishop Ugorji, the leader of the Nigerian delegation.  “As soon as we received information about the plight of the Nigerian Refugees during our First Plenary meeting in Abuja a week ago, we moved into action as a Conference. That is why we are here to see things for ourselves and what areas we can provide relief and immediate assistance,” Bishop Ugorji explained while addressing the Refugees in Minawao camp, Cameroun.

The Bishop further said, “We are here to encourage you. We are here to facilitate your eventual going back to Nigeria. We will ensure that your plight here gets the immediate attention of the Federal government of Nigeria who are aware of our visit. Christ was a refugee in Egypt. It is only a refugee who understands better the feelings and emotions of a fellow refugee. Christ is therefore here in many ways to guide and console you. Today this camp has become your Egypt. But we want to reassure you that just as God led the Israelites from Egypt to the Promised Land, He will lead you all back to your homes,”  Bishop Ugorji concluded.

Bishop Ugorji also thanked the United Nations Agency for Refugees (UNHCR), for their prompt response to the plight of the Refugees. He expressed his gratitude in particular to the Diocese of Maroua and the entire Episcopal Conference of Cameroon for their hospitality towards the welfare of Nigerians. “Their action demonstrates the ecclesial unity of the Church in responding to human needs irrespective of tribe, nation or even religion,” the Bishop said.

But for Bishop Oliver Doeme, the Catholic Bishop of Maiduguri, whose Diocese is worst hit by the Boko-Haram insurgency, it was a moment of re-union with some of his displaced flock.

 “I am happy that I’m part of this delegation. It is a fantastic mission and a wonderful show of solidarity which will go a long way to strengthen the Refugees. Our presence here today is a moral boost for them and a reassurance that they are not abandoned,” said Bishop Doeme.

The joy of the Refugees knew no bounds as they saw the Bishops pray and bless them.

The general sentiment in Minawao camp accompanied with the prayers of the Bishops for the Refugees was that of a great desire to see an end of Boko-Haram insurgency in Nigeria. 

“Boko-Haram is evil and we must use every resource at our disposal to get it out. We don’t have guns. Our gun is our prayers. We urge all Christians to pray especially in this period of  Lent for a lasting peace and final resolution of the crisis in Nigeria, ” Said Bishop Doeme.

In the long run, the renewed efforts of the Nigerian government to tackle the insurgency coupled with the combined armed forces from Cameroon, Niger and Chad, there is every reason to believe that the end of Boko-Haram attacks in Nigeria is now within sight.

(By Fr Chris Anyanwu, the National Director of Social Communications at the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria Abuja)

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