It could be a double tragedy to return 1.5 million Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) from 46 camps to the liberated communities by Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno state, IDP elders, camp managers and households declared yesterday in Maiduguri, the state capital. Their declarations were over the killings of 81 farmers by suspected Boko Haram insurgents in Koshebe village, while Zabarmari farmers were harvesting their rice fields last Saturday. The over a decade long Boko Haram terrorism, has also claimed 36,000 lives with property worth $9.1billion (about N3.42 trillion) in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe states. In separate interviews of some IDPs yesterday (Thursday) along with their elders and camp managers, expressed fears of return, over the deteriorating security situation in the state. The Zanna Boguma of Borno, who serves as Chairman of Borno Emirates Concerned Citizens Forum (BECF), Hassan Zanna Boguma disclosed that; “we condemned in strong terms this brutal attack on the rice farmers in Koshebe village of Mafa Local Government Area (LGA) by the dreaded insurgents,” stating that over 60 persons dead with 66 others missing on that fateful day. “We’re outraged and horrified by this gruesome attack on innocent and harmless farmers,” describing the terrorists as; mad murderers called Boko Haram on the outskirts of Maiduguri, the state capital. On fears of IDPs’ return to communities, he declared: “Despite the redoubled efforts of return and resettle victims of terror attacks in liberated communities by Zulum, rural communities in the state; are still facing untold hardships. “Helping them to return and tend their farmlands to rebuild their livelihoods are amongst the Governor’s top most priorities.” He said that this is the only to avert looming hunger in the state and nation. “Returning IDP household farmers and other returnees, needed to be protected and spared from any type of terrorists’ activities in the state,” he said. While appreciating the efforts of Zulum to return IDPs, despite insecurity in communities, he said: “The President and Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces must do the needful in ending the wanton killings in the state and across the nation.” He also suggested for national prayers to end all sorts of violence against the citizenry. He demanded President Muhammadu Buhari to summon an emergency meeting of serving and retired security experts. According to him, the stakeholders’ meeting should include traditional and religious leaders to discuss the current state of the nation. He said that Buhari should come to Borno on a fact finding mission and practically assess the security situation in the state. “Sending high-powered delegations is not enough on issues related to life and death,” he warned, adding that all what the people of Borno want is absolute proactive measures and not reactions and condemnations. Speaking on video clip of Boko Haram claim of killing 103 farmers last Saturday and October, 2020 he told The Guardian that the purported recent video clip by factional leader of terrorists group, Abubakar Shekau, was produced in an atmosphere of tranquility. Boguma therefore queried; “Who is funding his video? Why in this information age, the security agencies could not find where the video was uploaded, by who and whose IP address?” noting that the location and producers of video could be traced easily, if the security agents were serious and up to date over the massacre of farmers. Anxieties and the fears of being returned to communities were heightened yesterday at the Bakkasi, Dalori, Monguno Teachers’ Village and Gubio road IDP camps. Hamidu Abdu, an IDP from Gwoza LGA taking refuge at Bakkasi for over six years said: “I cannot return to Gwoza with 15 other family members. I’m scared sir; of what has been happening to some of us, while working on our farmlands along Maiduguri/Damboa road. “Last month at about noon on Monday, three IDP farmers were killed by terrorists, while riding on motorcycles. “We had to flee by abandoning harvested crops.” He said that the terrorists accused farmers of depriving them of food, while they leaked information on the modus operandi of Boko Haram in the Molai/Damboa axis. Hajiya Asta Musa, a mother of seven also feared that since the attack of insurgents last September, she will not go back to farm again. “We cannot work on our guinea corn and groundnuts farmlands, as Boko Haram boys could be struck with their shoulder strapped guns,” adding that the farmers only use their feet and in most cases bicycles to escape attack. Asked whether she is willing to return to Gwoza, she said: “Never at all. Our lives are more precious than to return and work on farmlands.” She said that it is when one is a live, for her to work on farmlands to restore means of livelihoods destroyed by insurgents in 2014. The mother of seven listed three conditions on which she could be returned with her children, as her husband was killed six years ago. According to her, the Mandara hills and Sambisa Forest be cleared of all terrorists, while the Bama/Gwoza/Mubi road be secured and protected against any attack by insurgents. “Our farmlands and fringes of forest will also be cleared and secure from Boko Haram attacks,” she said; noting that until these conditions are met by soldiers and other security agencies, she will jump onto the bus that returns them to communities. The Bakkasi camp manager, Mallam Ibrahim, said that over 70% of IDPs in camp, are not willing to return to their communities. He attributed displaced persons’ fear of return to insecurity to lives and property in communities, farmlands and roads. He said with the exception of Maiduguri/Damaturu road, the four roads leading to Monguno, Dikwa, Damasak, Gambouru, Gwoza, Damboa, Biu and Banki, border town with Cameroon are not safe. According to State’s Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Boko Haram attacked and kidnapped over a dozen people, including five humanitarian aid workers, and University of Maiduguri (UNIMAID) staff in 2020. On closures of IDP camps by Zulum in May 2021, the Senior Special Adviser to the Governor on publicity, Lanre Obadiah said: “The topmost priority of our Governor, was to return all IDPs to their communities and close the 45 camps on May 29, 2021.” He said that the state government and international and local humanitarian agencies, cannot sustain to feed 1.7 million IDPs in camps and host communities.
