Michael Olugbode in Maiduguri
Borno State Governor, Prof. Babagana Zulum, yesterday distributed 447 resettlement housing, food items and other basic necessities to Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) at Dalori community in Konduga Local Government Council of the state.
The state government constructed the houses to resettle families dislodged by the Boko Haram insurgency.
The newly resettled community have been provided with a hospital, school and water facilities.
According to a statement issued yesterday, the resettled IDPs were drawn from two locations-197 households from Kawar Maila camp and 250 families from Dalori town.
The statement said each of the 447 households, comprising about 2,500 family members received food items, mats, blankets and clothing materials.
Speaking during the distribution, Zulum said the Borno State Government has provided essential humanitarian support to the returnees to enable them start life afresh.
The governor added that his administration would also provide agricultural kits and entrepreneurship support for the returnees to have sustainable livelihood sources.
Since 2019, the Zulum-led administration has resettled over one million IDPs and constructed over 10,000 resettlement houses across 20 locations.
Zulum also hinted at a plan for the reconstruction and resettlement of Dalwa and Sandiya communities, among other locations, which were dislodged and destroyed by the Boko Haram insurgents in Konduga Local Government Area.
Meanwhile, the governor yesterday flagged off the closure of all informal IDP camps in Maiduguri, the state capital.
He said: “It is no longer sustainable to keep people at the IDP camps, and we want the people to be responsible members in their various communities by contributing to the development of the state.
“Therefore, we will return them to their ancestral homes so that they can start fending for themselves.”
The governor noted that all official IDP camps in Maiduguri Metropolitan Council and its environs had been closed since last year.
He said his administration would ensure that all informal IDP camps in Maiduguri are closed before May 29, 2024.
“Today, we have commenced the closure of all informal IDP camps in Maiduguri, and we will, Insha’Allah, close all informal IDP camps in the metropolis before May 29, 2024,” Zulum said.
