Governor Kashim Shettima of Borno has pledged to reconstruct and rehabilitate all the Boko Haram destroyed towns and villages in the state immediately after the Ramadan fast. This, he said was to ensure that all the Displaced Persons (IDPs) who have continued to remain in Maiduguri and Biu resettlement camps return to their original base.
This was disclosed on Saturday in Maiduguri, while the Governor was breaking his fast with the Shehu of Bama, Alhaji Kyari Ibn Ibrahim El-Kanemi and IDPs at Government Girls Science Secondary School (GGSS), Yerwa resettlement camp.
He said with peace gradually returning to the affected towns of Bama, Monguno, Baga, Gambouru, Gwoza, Dikwa, and several other communities, the displaced persons taking refuge in Maiduguri metropolis are to exercise more patience, before they could return to their respective communities.
His words: “As we continue to pray for the return of peace in this state, I urge all of you here today to exercise more patience and endurance of being displaced for many months from your destroyed homes and communities. We assure you that with this relative peace, this administration will commence the rebuilding and rehabilitation of all the destroyed communities immediately after this Ramadan.
“The Shehu of Bama has just briefed me about the gradual return of peace in his chiefdom to commence the rebuilding of the 90 per cent destroyed town. Even the water supply facilities which had been destroyed and poisoned by Boko Haram insurgents last September, are to be completely rebuilt by either sinking of new boreholes or dig cement wells to meet people’s water supply requirements for domestic and industrial uses.”
Shettima also said: “The priorities of the Borno State Rehabilitation and Rebuilding Committees (BRRC) will be on the totally destroyed towns of Bama, Baga, Monguno, Gwoza, Gambouru, Kukawa, Damasak and Mafa in central and north parts of this state. Thereafter, the other affected villages and communities adjourning these towns and council headquarters, will simultaneously follow, including villages and settlements on the foot of Mandara Mountains in Gwoza Local Government Area.”
He however urged the IDPs to be security conscious, as security is the business of everyone, to ensure an enduring peace, unity and tranquility among the various ethnic and religious groups in the state and the country at large.
Borno state and its citizens, according to him, shall rise again as “peace and security” of lives and property were gradually returning to the state.
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