IDPs expresses worry over relocation as Borno resettles over 700,000 in liberated communities 

IDPs expresses worry over relocation as Borno resettles over 700,000 in liberated communities 

By: James Bwala, Maiduguri

Internally displaced persons in Maiduguri, the Borno state capital have continued to express worry over their plights and government stand on relocation of IDPs out of camps in Maiduguri.

Although the government has insisted that, the move is in accordance with the international conventions and protocol, some of the IDPs who refused to go back to their local government after the closure of some camps in Maiduguri and have been hanging around communities insisted that they were forcibly chased out of the camps by government officials.

According to them, contrary to government claims of return of peace in some of their communities, a lot of them who had left are coming back to town, adding that Maiduguri is peaceful but their locality is still tense as such they cannot risk living in some of the communities.

This is also coming when the government informed that over 700,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) who had shown willingness to return to their communities have been resettled to their communities to look ahead for the next thing that lies ahead for them.

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Director-General, State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) Hajiya Yabawa Kolo who made this known at a media briefing in Maiduguri said the resettled IDPs were from six official camps; Bakasi, MOGOLIS, NYSC, Farm Centre, Muna Dayalti and Haruna Alana.

She explained that IDPs at Teachers Village and Stadium camps would soon be resettled after all protocols have been met. 

The Director-General noted that the state government was committed to closing down all the 28 official camps in Maiduguri by 31st of this month explaining that the return process was in accordance with international conventions and protocols—voluntary and in a dignified manner. 

Hajiya Yabawa Kolo remarked that the agency has supported over 100 children orphaned by the insurgency to access education. 

She gave the assurance on the consolidation on return of IDPs in the year 2022 for stabilisation programmes to ensure the self-reliance of the formerly displaced persons.

Speaking with some of the IDPs at Stadium IDP camp in Maiduguri on whether or not they are ready to return home. Their answers were YES and NO.

“If peace had returned in our home towns we would love to return home but as much as we keep hearing stories and seeing people who returned and are coming back because of the same conflict that forced us out, It would not be a good idea to return home now.” Mohammed Isa, an IDP from Gwoza said.

IDPs expresses worry over relocation as Borno resettles over 700,000 in liberated communities