Betek, Chelsea M. (2022) THE PRINCIPLE OF NON-REFOULEMENT AND CAMEROON'S EVICTION OF NIGERIAN REFUGEES (2009-2020). ["eprint_fieldopt_thesis_type_phd" not defined] thesis, Covenant University Ota..
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Abstract
The study examined the extent to which the principle of non-refoulement protects Nigerian refugees in Cameroon. Non-refoulement is a principle in international refugee law that brings countries under obligation to accommodate and protect refugees within their jurisdiction and prohibits them from sending refugees back to places where they risk human rights abuses or threats to their lives. However, there have been reports that Cameroon, which was once known to generously open its doors to refugees and displaced persons has been reported to have shut those doors for various reasons. The aforementioned, therefore, necessitated this research, with the specific objectives to explore the extent to which the principle of non-refoulement in Cameroon has protected Nigerian refugees; examine the impacts of Nigerian refugee influx on Cameroon; identify how the refugee and asylum rights of Nigerian refugees have been violated by the government and security officials of Cameroon and ascertain the responses of the Nigerian government and the UNHCR to ensure that the principle of non-refoulement is upheld for Nigerian refugee protection. The study adopted a cross-sectional research design for the attainment of these objectives with thematic analysis of relevant primary and secondary qualitative data. In addition, the theoretical arguments of the push-pull theory and the fiduciary theory of humanitarianism provided frameworks to examine the subject matter. The findings of the study reveal that while the Cameroonian government has made considerable efforts to ratify international legal documents and incorporate the principle of non-refoulement into its national laws, the country is also plagued with its own internal political and economic issues. As a result, the specific refugee and asylum rights of Nigerian refugees are not protected by Cameroon. It is necessary, therefore, for refugee receiving countries to address refugee issues not only as political issues but also as humanitarian issues by committing to protecting refugees, promoting tolerance and refraining from forceful refugee returns. The study, therefore, recommended that states should incorporate and fully implement the principle of non-refoulement not just in theory but also in practice; authorities should both investigate violence against Nigerian refugees and strictly enforce human rights and refugee laws. Also, Cameroon and Nigeria need to uphold the commitment to voluntary repatriation; by enabling the return of Nigerian refugees under conditions that are conducive to voluntary return in safety and with dignity.
| Item Type: | Thesis (["eprint_fieldopt_thesis_type_phd" not defined]) |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | Displacement, human rights, non-refoulement, refugee, repatriation |
| Subjects: | J Political Science > JA Political science (General) |
| Divisions: | Faculty of Law, Arts and Social Sciences > School of Social Sciences |
| Depositing User: | Mrs Patricia Nwokealisi |
| Date Deposited: | 23 Mar 2022 12:33 |
| Last Modified: | 23 Mar 2022 12:33 |
| URI: | http://eprints.covenantuniversity.edu.ng/id/eprint/15755 |
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