By Kolawole Ojebisi
Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno State has said the Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps are no longer safe havens as many people take them to be.
Zulum said Boko Haram insurgents now take refuge in the camps scattered across Borno state after executing their dastardly and heinous acts. The governor raised this alarm on Sunday while resettling about 3800 people rendered homeless by insurgency in Konduga Local Government Area of the state.
According to the governor, the infiltration by the insurgents have greatly influenced the attitudes and lifestyles of the deracinated people offered shelters in the IDP camps.
He urged the Nigeria Army and security agencies to “take decisive action to address this threat and safeguard vulnerable IDPs.”
“We can’t tolerate this anymore. Boko Haram insurgents have infiltrated IDP camps, committing atrocities and perpetuating insecurity,” Zulum revealed.
Some IDP girls, he noted, were engaging in prostitution and drug abuse, ruining the state’s reputation and culture. “We won’t tolerate this,” the governor added.
Zulum warned that the State government would no longer tolerate indiscipline, calling on top officials in Konduga LGA to support the state government’s efforts towards resettling IDPs back to their ancestral homes.
The Governor also announced plans to rebuild Awulari village in Konduga, prioritising displaced communities’ resettlement. He explained that resettlement efforts will also focus on Sandiya communities, with a target to build 500 housing unit estates before next year’s rainy season.
He urged Konduga officials to develop a strategy for complete IDP resettlement, while those who were resettled were given N50,000, in food and non-food items.
The governor pledged support for flood-affected farmers and cautioned returnees against selling provided houses and items, stressing their importance in revitalising communities.
“We must support flood-affected farmers and ensure returnees utilize provided resources wisely,” Zulum added. “Returnees should not sell provided houses and items, as they are crucial for revitalizing communities,” said Zulum.
Borno, like most states in the Northwest, has been a hotbed of insurgency as armed bandits keep terrorizing and killing people in many towns across the state.
Recently, the Nigeria Army killed scores of bandits, most of the casualties of the coordinated attacks were leaders of the terror group.
Subbub, a prominent member of the armed bandits was said to have been killed by Nigerian soldiers while Turji another ferocious bandit and forty two others have been declared wanted.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, in his Independence anniversary speech, said his administration is having upper hand in its war against insurgency.
However, Ali Ndume, a Senator representing Borno South, urged the president to consider hiring mercernaries in the war against insurgency to wipe out what he called, ” the remnants” of the armed bandits.
