Borno State Governor, Kashim Shettima on Tuesday said the decision to reverse government’s plan not to shut down all camps and return Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs, to Bama communities before May 29th, 2017, was as result of the ongoing ‘Mop-Up operations by military troops of Operation Lafiya Dole.
Bama, the second largest town after Maiduguri, the state capital, was named second Boko Haram Caliphate, after Gwoza, that fell under the control of terrorists in 2015, before it was liberated by troops last year.
The governor who had earlier wished IDPs from Bama returned home before the Ramadan fast this year, insisted that his administration would not allow the lives of any IDP(s) who had suffered in the hands of insurgents to be jeopardized.
He stated this during the official commissioning of the newly reconstructed and rehabilitated 12 public structures in Bama Local Government Area by the Nigeria Foundation for the Support of Victims of Terrorism (Victims Support Fund, VSF) in partnership with Borno State Government, BOSG.
The N370 million projects were executed by VSF in collaboration with BOSG.
Shettima while extending his profound gratitude to VSF, security forces, Shehu of Bama, His Royal Highness, Alhaji Kyari Ibrahim Umar Elkanemi and his people for their resilience, promised that his government would continue to give more priority to Bama in the ongoing reconstruction process, considering the rate of destruction perpetrated by insurgents.
He said: “I want to extend our profound gratitude to VSF, security forces, Shehu of Bama, His Royal Highness, Alhaji Kyari Ibrahim Umar Elkanemi and his people for their resilience in the fight against boko Haram sect who have inflicted serious injuries and damages to our communities.
“As government, we had earlier planned to close down all IDP camps before 29th May, 2017, so that our people can go back to their ancestral homes, because, there is no better place than home. But due to the ongoing military mop up operations in Sambisa forest and surrounding communities, we dont want our traumatized IDPs to return home for now, as their lives will be jeopardized.
“I want to however stress that although the reconstruction work is not only taking place in Bama alone, with speedy records and the rate at which the reconstruction and rehabilitation of both public and private structures witnessed under the present administration, we hope to come back to Bama in the next one month, before we allow our people to fully return,” Shettima stated.
Delivering his keynote address at the occasion, the Chairman of VSF, Gen. Theophilus Danjuma, represented by his Vice Chairman, Tijjani Tumsah congratulated the BOSG, and its people, particularly victims of the insurgency, and promised that VSF will continue continue the partnership to ensure that millions of IDPs who had spent several years out of their ancestral homes went back.
Timta recalled that VSF from 2015 to date, had so far assisted 19,000 children who were victims of insurgency in the state, in addition to the rehabilitation of about 40 public buildings in Dikwa Emirate council.
He also revealed that apart from these interventions, VSF had started and will soon complete the reconstruction of four primary and post- primary schools in each of the local government areas of Gwoza, Hawul, Askira- Uba and Damboa to facilitate the return of its displaced persons.
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