Borno state Commissioner for local government, Hon. Usman Zannah has said on Friday, that, he agrees with the observation by the Chief of Army staff, Lt. General T.Y. Buratai over the continuous stay in camps by some Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs whose local government areas have been liberated.
According to the Commissioner, if not for the respect of the Kampala convention, which frowned at forcing IDPs out of their place of refuge, some of the IDPs actually have no reason to still stay in camps.
He said, many of the victims have been constituting problems to the smooth transition back to normal lives in their respective villages.
“For example, you see some of the IDPs who return to their villages always come back to the camps to collect food stuff and go back to their villages. Some even from Ngala will come to Maiduguri to collect food and go back. Truth is, most of them whose areas have been liberated have no reason living in the camps,” the Commissioner said.
Speaking on the quantum of destruction in the local government by Boko Haram militants, the Commissioner said, a committee has been set up by the ministry of reconstruction, rehabilitation and resettlement, who are working to bring out the quantum of damages caused by the insurgents as it affects 22 local governments, which were under the control of Boko Haram in the past.
“All the local government secretariats in those 22 local government areas were burnt down by the insurgents, but we are working to put all back to use. I encourage you to visit some of the local government secretariats especially the one in Jere local government. It is a master piece,” he added.
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