By Babagana Bukar Wakil, Maiduguri
Borno state government’s high-powered committee on Relocation and Resettlement, Ministry of Reconstruction, Rehabilitation and Resettlement and State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) in collaboration with the Victims Support Fund (VSF) on Saturday, finally closed one of the most populous Internally Displaced Persons Camps (IDPs) within Maiduguri metropolis, Northeast Nigeria.
Gubio camp located along Gubio Road was opened in 2013 accommodating thousands of IDPs from Ngala, Marte, Monguno, Dikwa, amongst others.
The chairman of the committee, Eng. Bukar Talba expressed immense gratitude to the chairman of Victims Support Fund, Theophilus Danjuma for always being supportive to the Borno state government in its efforts of resettling Internally Displaced Populations back to their ancestral communities.
According to Talba, without Victims Support Fund, Borno state government could not close the three camps owing to the fact that the state has no sufficient resources to facilitate closure. This is even though Governor Babagana Umara Zulum had done so many closure.
The Commissioner for Reconstruction, Rehabilitation and Resettlement, Eng. Mustapha Gubio who was represented by the senior special Adviser to the Governor, Abdurahaman Abdulkareem said over 11, 860 IDPs supported by VSF were going back to their ancestral homes.
He said 11,863 IDPs voluntarily and willingly returned home without any enforcement, to take up their farming and businesses.
He appealed to the Victims Support Fund for more supports and collaboration to resettle the remaining IDPs camps.
The Executive director of Victim support Fund, Professor Nana Tanko who represented the chairman, TY Danjuma said they had successfully closed Dalori one and two in the last few months and were witnessing the return and resettlement of IDPs in Gubio Road Camp.
While locking the camp’s main gate with padlock and shackles, Professor Tanko declared Gubio IDPs camp closed, bringing the total number of giant IDPs camps closed to three.
