By Oladapo Okeowo with agency report
Over 310,000 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) have returned to their homes following the liberation of their communities, says the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA).
Muhammed Kanar, NEMA North-East Coordinator, disclosed this on Tuesday in Maiduguri.
He said just over 100,000 displaced persons are left in camps across Maiduguri, the Borno capital.
The returnees went back mostly to seven formerly lost territories: Dikwa (67,000); Bama (9,000); Lassa (5,000); Damboa (52,000); Banking (52,000); Gambrun Ngala (71,000), and Konduga (41,000).
The bulk of the returnees did so willingly.
He said, “In Konduga, for example, about 41,000 IDPs that returned to the area, were those who returned willingly. You know it is a few kilometres from the town, and all their houses had been rebuilt by the state government.
“We have a lot of IDPs in Mafa, which is just 100 kilometres from Maiduguri. Many farmers from Gamborun Ngala have gone back to farm.
Reconstruction works have been completed in some councils by the Borno Ministry of Rehabilitation, Reconstruction and Resettlement to enable the return of the IDPs to their homes.
Kunar pointed out the massive humanitarian efforts of international Non-Governmental Organisations especially in the area of welfare.
He said the federal and state ministries of agriculture, education and NEMA are working towards making sure the returning IDPs are self-reliant.
