Buhari assures IDPs of his determination to end insurgency

BY ABDULLAH ISAH, MAIDUGURI

President Muhammadu Buhari has assured the over 50,000 Internally Displaced Persons camped in the Dikwa mega camp, established by the military, that he is determined to end insurgency in the North-East, so that they will go back to their various communities.

The President told the IDPs, “I share in your hardship, feelings and the condition you find yourselves. We are doing everything possible to see that we bring to an end the Boko Haram insurgency, reconstruct and rehabilitate, so that you will go back to your communities.”

Governor Kashim Shettima of Borno State, who represented the President, told the IDPs that “when he (President Buhari) heard that there were 55,000 IDPs in Dikwa, he sent me to personally come and see you, bring you drugs, foodstuff and household items. He shares in your feelings, your hardship and will support you.”

He commended the military personnel for putting their lives in the line for the people to have peace in Borno and the North-East, and that now that peace was returning to the communities, very soon the government will commence reconstructing the destroyed communities, so that they will go back to their communities and pick up the pieces of their lives latest by May 29, 2016.

Also speaking, the Borno State Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Hon. Usman Zannah said the IDPs came from Dikwa, Bama, Kala-Balge, Mafa, Marte and Gwoaza local government areas of the state and that the state government is feeding them with not less than 45 bags of rice daily.”

He commended the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, State Emergency Management Agency, SEMA, and the local government for proving food, condiments blankets and other household materials for the IDPs and called on non-governmental Organizations, corporate bodies and individuals to assist the IDPs.

Earlier, while welcoming Governor Kashim Shettima, the caretaker chairman, Dikwa local government, Mohammed Ali Gana said NEMA has provided 1 truck of rice, 1 truck of beans, 1 truck of guinea corn, 1 truck of semolina and condiments each for the IDPs, while the state government has provided 2 trucks each of maize, beans, guinea corn and rice.

Also speaking a civilian JTF member, Modu Gumba thanked President Buhari, Governor Kashim Shettima, the military, NEMA and other stakeholders for coming to their aid, stressing that the military should be given a standing ovasion for their gallantry and for restoring peace in their communities promising that they are ready to support the military until the insurgents are totally rooted out in their communities.

Our Correspondent also came across a 7 year old, Hajiya Amina, who commended the military for rescuing them and bringing them to the camp and called on them to root out the Boko Haram terrorists so that they will go back to their communities.