BY ABDULLAHI ISAH, MAIDUGURI
The Borno state Governor, Hon. Kashim Shettima has temporarily relocated to Bama town, the headquarters of Bama local government which was sacked by Boko Haram terrorists in 2014 to make sure all necessary facilities are put in place before Monday 2nd April, 2018, the official day of returning the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) back to their homes.
Governor Shettima, who relocated to Bama since Thursday 27th March 2018 visited all the nine schools, eight boreholes, General Hospitals among other facilities in the town to ensure smooth and hitch free return of IDPs back to their reconstructed community.
Addressing the gathering at the Shehu of Bama`s Palace, Governor Kashim Shettima, who was in tears lamented the total destruction of Bama town by the insurgents and thanked the military for the total liberation of all the Local Governments in the state, adding that the Borno state government will continue to support them in their efforts to maintain peace.
He said “the people of Bama will return in phases starting with Ward and Village heads, while the Shehu will be the last person to return, we did so in order for the Shehu to monitor the return of his subjects, as we have distributed bio-data forms to capture all returnees to avoid infiltration by the Boko Haram insurgents”.
“Our people will return back in dignified manners, as we have put in place livelihood assistance to help them kick start economic activities before the rainy season commences. I also visited these schools and other public infrastructures are functional preparatory to the return of IDPs”, Shettima stated.
In response, the Brigade Commander, 21 Armored Brigade, Col. A G Nuhu appealed to the state government to ensure that the police, NSCDC, Immigration services and other para military agencies are fully deployed to the town in order to maintain civil authority, as the IDPs have started returning and appealed for the reconstruction of township roads and Bama-Maiduguri road, as the insurgents would not find it easy to plant their IEDs when there are no potholes on the roads.
In an interview with newsmen in Bama, the Commissioner for Reconstruction, Rehabilitation and Resilient, Prof. Babagana Umara said “we have renovated 11,630 houses, eight primary schools, eight boreholes in addition to the shops and market stalls we have newly constructed”.
He said “the ministry of Local government has provided 50 tricycles, open body tricycle (Jega), while SEMA and the state ministry for Poverty alleviation has provided 5,000 bags of rice, 5, bags of corn flour, 20,00 Jerry cans of cooking oils, 20,000 sets of kitchen utensils, 20,000 blankets, 20, 000 buckets among others for distribution to the returnees, as livelihood assistance”.
While commending the UN agencies and other intentional donors, he called on the Federal Government and international donors to come to the aid of the Borno state government, as 80 percent of the reconstruction was done by the Borno state government despite its meagre resources.
The anxious people of Bama town could not wait for Monday 2nd April, 2018, as they were seen in their hundreds returning back to their communities after over four years in IDPs camps.
Our correspondent who plied the Bama road alongside his colleagues without military escort said “this is surprising, as in the last four years nobody dared to ply the road without security escort.”
