By Jutha Gupah Maiduguri
The Secretary to State Government of Borno state (SSG), Alhaji Usman Jidda Shuwa has said that arrangements have been completed to return 120,000 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) to Bama next week in phases. The returnees are drawn from various IDPs camps and host communities of Maiduguri metropolis. Bama was severally attacked by Boko Haram insurgents between 2012 and 2015, before displacing residents to take refuge in Maiduguri camps and host communities. Shuwa disclosed this on Tuesday at a news conference of the Musa Usman Secretariat complex, Maiduguri. He said that the time is now ripe and the atmosphere favourable for IDPs go back home in 10 phases. According to him, the adequate and sustainable security to returnees during the movement process and their final settle down; was also a determining factor. His words: “The first phase of the movement is scheduled to commence on Monday, April 2, 2018. Adequate arrangements and sufficient preparation are being put in place. “A special template is being designed to capture the essential personal data of all prospective returnees, for the purpose of easy identification and security clearance. “All IDPs who have been shortlisted to return would be accompanied by their respective District and Ward Heads.” He further disclosed that adequate security would also be provided for the Bama returnees. He said that the security measures were to forestall any likely breach by recalcitrant remnants of insurgents. Shuwa warned: “The insurgents may take advantage of the situation and ingeniously infiltrate the returnees to cause further destruction.” He urged all relevant federal and state agencies should ensure immediate relocation of their staff to Bama. According to him, the relocation was to commence the process of effective service delivery to returnees. He also called on the Presidential Committee on North-East Initiative (PCNI) to commence immediate implementation of the Bama Initiative. The initiative, according to him, includes the reconstruction and development of infrastructural facilities of Bama town and its environs. He said the completion of the initiative, was to restore full and sustainable socioeconomic activities for the returnees.
