In the continuation of its resettlement drive of all Internally Displaced Persons, the Borno State committee for the resettlement of Baga displaced persons have confirmed that the villagers who have resettled to the once deserted town have been fully settled and life has picked up in earnest for them despite the presence of some elements of the Boko Haram terrorists lurking around the Lake Chad Basin.
This was made known to PUNCH in Maiduguri by the Chairman of the committee and Attorney-General of the State, Barrister Kaka Shehu Lawan on Thursday while reacting to the challenges confronting the state government’s resolve to close down all IDP camps in the state by December 2021.
“We have constructed over two hundred permanent houses in Baga and distributed it to the owners. We have also constructed schools and other basic social amenities across Doronbaga and Cross Kauwa as well returned dwellers to their homes. We will construct hospitals in all these communities and equip them with modern-day facilities to meet up the health needs of the returnees.
“The initial setback of insecurity has been addressed even though we know there are still elements of the terrorists lurking around the fringes.
Our visit to the Local Government Areas is to ensure that the returnees villagers are good,” the Commissioner of Justice said.
Kaka Shehu Lawan stated further that although the villagers are yet to fully commence activities like fishing and farming due to some insecurity challenges, the government through the resettlement committee have begun the process of making their farmlands and rivers safer for them to fully take off with their businesses.
“The community we have resettled are mostly agrarian, pastoral, farming and fishing communities. They have started fishing activities on a small scale. We have met those concerned about security to map out the waterways so that our people will embark on large scale fishing and farming activities. By this, we hope in no distant future businesses will be boosted as it used to be in that area,” he said.
He said about 8,640 households that were returned to their ancestral homelands three months ago have received food items and cash relief in Baga, Doro and Cross Kauwa from the Borno State government.
Also, of the 8,640 beneficiaries, 5,000 of them are men while 3,640 are women. (Punch)
