As the World Mark’s this year’s World Refugee Day, Borno citizens have lauded the return of relative peace and government’s efforts to resettle displaced persons in their ancestral communities.
A cross section of residents, particularly those in displaced persons camps in Maiduguri, who spoke to News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday, said they were eager to return home whenever it was declared safe to go.
“We are happy with the recent government effort to resettle people, which has led to the closure of two camps.
“There is no place like home where you have full liberty as a family man to feed your family and ensure the proper upbringing of your children.
“I am a farmer from Abadam Local Government area where we have fertile land and do harvest two to three times a year,” Modu Abubakar said.
He lauded the plea by Gov. Zulum and the directive, by President Muhammadu Buhari, to the military to expedite action in clearing the remnants of boko haram in Borno for farmers to return to their farms.
Lawan Idris and Musa Abba also lauded the move to resettle displaced persons after several years in camps, pointing out that life in camps was not the best for anyone, especially children.
“You are like a prisoner surviving on rations. This is debasing and not sustainable,” Idris said.
Speaking on the ongoing resettlement, the Director General of the state Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Hajiya Yabawa Kolo, said everything was being done in line with the provisions of the Kampala Convention.
Kolo said that the resettled communities were being given livelihood support to enable them pick up gradually.
On his part, Gov. Babagana Zulum, has continue to declare his administration’s commitment to resettle the displaced in recovered areas, that were adjudged safe for them, to engage in farming and other businesses.
The governor said in his second anniversary speech to the people of Borno that his administration would remain focused on some issues, particularly the resettlement of IDPs.
“As we have started our third year in office, we plan to build on what we already achieved with your support, goodwill and prayers.
”We plan soon to commission series of more projects, accelerate others, particularly thousands of ongoing houses, for the safe and dignified resettlement of our IDPs and refugees,” Zulum said.
The theme of this year’s World Refugee Day is: “Together we heal, learn and shine.”
(NAN)
