United Nations Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed on Tuesday interacted with Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the border town of Banki in the Bama Local Government Area of Borno.
The IDPs camp in Banki is one of the several camps being managed with the support of UN since the onset Boko Haram insurgency about 10 years ago.
Speaking to newsmen in Maiduguri after her interaction with the IDPs, Mohammed said that many of them had shown interest in returning to their homes. as soon as things normalised.
“Really, they want to go back to their normal lives. They are tired that this thing has been going on for many years,” she said.
Mohammed noted that the IDP camps were overcrowded, adding this had reinforced the need to speed up the process of resettlement and reintegration of the IDPs, while their security and means of livelihood were guaranteed.
She said that she and other UN officials were in the state to assess the situation and see how to improve things, particularly in the areas of the resettlement and the reintegration of the displaced persons.
Mohammed, however, lauded the efforts of the Borno State Government in addressing the plight of the IDPs, adding that President Muhammadu Buhari also commended the state government’s efforts during her meeting with the president.
Also speaking, Gov. Babagana Zulum of Borno, who announced the plan by the state and federal governments to commence the repatriation of Borno refugees in Minawawo camp in the Cameroun Republic to Banki on Dec. 5, thanked the UN and the other partners for their support.
“I am also happy to inform you that we gradually having peace; we received overwhelming requests by our people that they want to return to their places of origin.
“These processes of return are being carefully planned to take into account all factors, such as security, shelter, livelihoods and presence of civil authority to maintain peace and inspire confidence in the communities,’’ he said.
While pledging his administration’s sustained support for the IDPs, Zulum urged the UN to provide more funds to support the state’s stabilisation facilities.
