THE Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) in charge of operations in the North East, Mr. Sotonye Wakama, has said that the “restoration of civil authority” in reclaimed communities in Yobe State has commenced to return 145,000 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in camps to their homes.

The strategies, according to him, will ensure security of lives and property before the IDPs return to their respective towns and villages in five council areas of the state.

Wakama gave the assurance on Friday while briefing police officers and men at the Police Command headquarters in Damaturu.

He said the challenges before the police were to ensure security of lives and property in communities reclaimed from Boko Haram.

His words: “The present administration is determined to restore peace across the country by establishment of civil authority in reclaimed territories that were captured by insurgents in the three affected states of Yobe, Borno and Adamawa.”

He, however, told the officers and men that the restoration of civil authority in the geo-political zone will be an extraordinary task that must be achieved, as directed by the Minister of Interior, Maj-Gen. Abdulrahaman Dambazau (rtd) last week in Maiduguri.

He said that policing structure in the reclaimed communities will be reorganised to meet the present challenges of protecting lives and property in the North East.

On promotions and general welfare of policemen, he said: “The police have decided to reward officers in the war zone with promotions as an incentive to encourage them work towards ending Boko Haram insurgency; not only in Yobe State, but the entire North East region of the country.”

He also commended the operation “Know your neighbour” launched in Yobe, adding that he will ensure similar programme is launched in Adamawa and Borno states.