Photo: Sunday Aghaeze
BY Ebunoluwa Olafusi
Babagana Zulum, governor of Borno, has asked the federal government to assist the state in bringing back internally-displaced persons (IDPs) and indigenes who are refugees in neighbouring countries.
Zulum spoke when Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo visited Borno on Thursday to inaugurate some projects executed by the state government.
The governor said the responsibility was too much for the state to bear alone and that the federal government’s assistance will ensure that the IDPs are repatriated quickly.
“The president recently inaugurated a committee with the mandate of repatriating indigenes of Borno that were living in the Republic of Cameroun, Chad and Niger,” he said.
“The mandate of the committee among others is also to look into the defectors; managing ex Boko Haram members.
“This is indeed one of our major constraints in Borno because if we manage these defectors very well, insurgency will come to an end very soon.
“In addition to this, we have about 66,000 indigenes living in Cameroon; 120,000 living in Niger Republic and about 25,000 living in Chad.
“This is a huge figure and the state government cannot shoulder the responsibilities and our people are yearning to come back home.
“We are pleading with our leadership to assist the people and government of Borno in ensuring quick repatriation.”
Zulum said he was hopeful that two-thirds of the IDPs would be returned to their respective hometowns in the next one year.
On his part, Osinbajo said Borno, in spite of its challenges, has proved how resilient Nigeria can be.
The vice-president was in Borno to unveil the 30th edition of micro small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) clinics in Maiduguri and also to inaugurate some projects completed by Zulum.
“Borno state has proved so many things; it has proved what Nigeria can be; how resilient we are; how courageous we are; how committed we are to the Nigerian project,” Osinbajo said.
“From the days of former Governor, Kashim Shettima, now a senator, I have seen a steady hand of progress here in Borno State; a commitment to development, a commitment to growth.
“And then over to Zulum, who has proved that it is possible to do incredible things with very little.
“And I think that just looking at his so many achievements, every time I make a speech somewhere, I always refer to what Zulum is doing because he has demonstrated that with little resources, we can do a lot.
“And that the problem that we have in this country is not so much poverty or lack of resources; it is a commitment to the people; that commitment to the people to do the best we can for our people.”
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