IDPs: Don’t Force Anyone To Return Home, Zulum Tells Resettlement Committees

Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno State has charged the committees on the reconstruction works and resettlement of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the state not to force anyone to return home.

Zulum stated this at the Government House in Maiduguri, while  inaugurating two committees to complete ongoing reconstruction works and facilitate the full restoration of civil authority in six towns located in Marte and Gwoza Local Government Areas of the state.

The civil authorities will comprise policemen, civilian JTF, local government officials and magistrate courts.

The two committees, which have security officials amongst the members, are to oversee the resettlement of IDPs at Marte in northern Borno as well as Ngoshe, Kirawa, Hambagda, Ashigashiya and Warabe in Gwoza LGA of southern Borno.

The committee on Marte is chaired by the state Commissioner for Reconstruction, Rehabilitation and Resettlement (RRR), Engr. Mustapha Gubio, while Gwoza’s is chaired by the Commissioner for Housing and Energy, Engr. Yuguda Saleh Vungas.

Members of the committees also included representatives of communities and humanitarian actors.

Borno State, particularly in some local government areas such as Marte, Gwoza and Baga, has been devastated by activities of Boko Haram terrorists, forcing residents to flee their homes to safer areas and IDP camps.

According to a statement posted on his official facebook page on Tuesday, Zulum noted that he was very mindful of the security situation in the state.

He called on the committees not to carry out their duties in haste.

The governor said: “We should not be in haste. We should not force anyone to return. There is an increasing demand from the IDPs to return home, don’t force anyone.” 

He also added: “The committees are to continue with rehabilitation and reconstruction work in Marte and Kirawa/Ngoshe, to undertake palliative repairs of Marte and Ngoshe/Kirawa roads in collaboration with the men of the Nigerian Army, to put in place all requirements that will ensure safety of lives and property of returnees, to facilitate the establishment of civil authorities on ground, to identify IDPs willing to return home, and to address any other matter that is incidental to the smooth return and safety of lives and properties of the returnees.”

He further said the state’s resettlement drive was aimed at helping citizens pick up the pieces of their lives and move on, after many years of displacement.

He gave the assurance that his government would help the returnees to engage in agricultural and other economic activities that would make them self-reliant and be meaningful members of public.

He lamented the high degree of poverty in the state, particularly among the IDPs, which he claimed the insurgents took advantage of to recruit able-bodied youths in the state.

In his response un behalf of the two committees, Engr. Gubio gave the assurance that they would put in their best in carrying out the assignment.