Borno IDPs vacate camps, ahead of Govt. deadline

Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Maiduguri, have vacated their camps, ahead of the Nov.30, dateline for the closure of all Displaced Persons camps by the Borno Government.

A News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) correspondent who visited some camps on Wednesday, reports that most of them have been deserted by the displaced persons.

NAN gathered that the state government had on Saturday provided cash and food items to the IDPs ahead of the planned closure of the camps, to enable them move to their respective homes.

Some of the IDPs from Gwoza, Monguno and Guzamala Local Government Areas (NAN) who spoke with NAN in Maiduguri said that household heads were given N100, 000 each, while housewives were given N50,000 each to facilitate their home return.

Mr Mustafa Gubio, the state’s Commissioner for Reconstruction, Rehabilitation and Resettlement, said the development was part of government commitment to close all IDP camps in Maiduguri in line with its resettlement programme.

Gubio said that the IDPs from Bakassi camp numbering about 7000 were expected to return to their LGAs headquarters from where they would proceed to their villages after necessary clearance.

“The resettlement is being done in a dignified way in line with Kampala Convention,” he said.