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By Tracy Moses
Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum, has announced the resettlement of 6,000 families displaced by the Boko Haram insurgency, particularly households from the Dikwa and Mafa local government areas.
Governor Zulum shared the plan on Monday at the Muna IDP camp, one of the largest in Borno, which currently shelters around 11,000 families displaced by the ongoing conflict. He emphasized that the resettlement was necessary due to the increasing criminal activities within the camp.
Addressing the media, Zulum stated, “The eradication of Boko Haram can only be achieved if resettlement takes place. People must return to their homes and regain their livelihoods. In the IDP camp, we have witnessed a rise in prostitution, gangsterism, child abuse, and other criminal activities.”
He went on to recall that, about four years ago, he announced the closure of all formal IDP camps within Maiduguri, and to date, 12 of these camps have been shut down, leaving only two informal camps. “We have successfully resettled around 75% of the IDPs at Muna camp, and the remaining 25% will be relocated to their ancestral homes in the coming days,” Zulum added.
As part of the resettlement, each of the 6,000 families will receive food aid, shelter materials, and access to healthcare services. Additionally, heads of both male and female households will be given N100,000, while housewives will receive an extra N50,000.
In another development, Governor Zulum announced plans to upgrade the vocational and skills acquisition center at the Maiduguri Maximum Security Correctional Facility. This initiative aims to improve inmate rehabilitation and reduce recidivism. During his visit to the facility, Zulum stressed that the primary goal of incarceration should be the transformation of lives, not mere confinement. He stated, “The purpose of keeping inmates in the correctional facility is to reform them, but this can only be achieved if the necessary facilities are in place.”
The Governor also mentioned that he would review the cases of some inmates and, where appropriate, explore the possibility of releasing those convicted of minor offenses within the boundaries of the law.
Accompanying the Governor during his visit were Engr. Bukar Talba, a member of the House of Representatives; Dr. Babagana Mallumbe, the Acting Chief of Staff; Sheikh Modu Mustapha, the Special Adviser on Religious Affairs; and Barrister Mustapha Ali Busuguma, the Permanent Secretary of the Government House.