Borno expends about N1 Billion on relocating IDPs – Commissioner

Borno expends about N1 Billion on relocating IDPs – Commissioner

By: Our Reporter

The Borno State Government has spent about N1 billion in relocation of internally displaced persons from the Bakassi IDP camp in Maiduguri to their various local government areas.

The amount according to the Commissioner for Reconstruction, Rehabilitation and Resettlement ministry, Engineer Mustapha Gubio includes the cost for the purchase and distribution of food to the IDPs returning home.

Engineer Mustapha Gubio, who had a chat with Newsmen on Monday in Maiduguri also counter reports from online medium challenging the uprightness of the Borno government in the distribution of cash and food items to IDPs amounting to the said amount.

It was alleged that “the N500 million claimed to have been distributed to IDPs in Bakassi camp for over 3,000 households as declared by the state government last Saturday was not commensurate with the actual number of the IDPs, said to have received the amount.

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NEWSng gathered that many of the IDPs alleged to have collected the amount had left the camp some years ago.”

But Gubio insisted that a total of N500 million were disbursed last Saturday in the presence of Governor Babagana Umara Zulum, in which, each head of household in Bakassi Camp received N100,000, while their wives were given N50,000 as stipends.

Gubio asserted that even if the head of household has four wives, all the wives were given N50,000 each, in addition to starter packs such as food and non-food items donated by the North East Development Commission, NEDC amounting to over N400,000 million.

Gubio said, the 31st December dateline given by Borno State Government to close all IDPs camps in Maiduguri and its environs still stand, but insisted that no IDP will be forced out of the city if he/she chose to stay.

He explained that, since most of the IDPs have indicated willingness based on the Kampala Convention, the state government has spent huge resources in relocating IDPs before closing four camps.

He pointed out that, the latest IDPs who have indicated interest to relocate and drawn from Bakkasi camp; are from Gwoza, Guzamala, Marte and Monguno Councils of the state.

“We went to the Bakassi IDP camp with his Excellency, Governor Babagana Zulum to distribute stipends up to N500 million and various starter packs which cost over N400 million,” stating that this will enable the displaced persons to return to their ancestral homes successfully.

“With the shutdown of Bakkasi camp, this brings to four officially declared camps closed in the state.

“We’re taking them to the Councils’ headquarters; where there are enough shelters to house them,” he said, noting that the IDPs are not returned to their respective communities.

According to him, they are to stay for a while at the council headquarters, before building houses for them with the provision of schools, health and water supply facilities through the checklists on basic needs of life.

He disclosed that this will also enable the State Government to declare the camp officially closed in a week.

At the Kampala Convention, he said that the closure of all camps in the state is in compliance with the convention, which states that the return of IDPs should be with dignity and pride into the liberated communities.

He said that the IDPs are going back willingly to their ancestral homes without any coercion.

Borno expends about N1 Billion on relocating IDPs – Commissioner