The Nigerian Army said on Tuesday that at least 2, 043 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) living in Bakassi Camp have started moving to their homes in Guzamala local government area of Borno State.
It said the IDPs comprising 378 households were the first batch of people who willingly expressed desire to return to their communities and resume farming, fishing and other social cultural activities.
According to a statement issued by the spokesman, Operation Lafiya Dole, Col. Onyema Nwachukwu, the resettlement exercise was flagged on in Maiduguri, the state capital.
He said modalities for return of the IDPs to their homes were worked out by the army, Borno State Government and Guzamala LGA.
Nwachukwu said: โAt the flag-off, the Theatre Commander of Operation Lafiya Dole, Maj.-Gen. Rogers Nicholas, stated that the earnest desire of the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai, was to ensure that IDPs who are willing, return home to begin a normal life.
โHe noted that the modalities for the IDPs return to their homes were jointly worked out by the Theatre Command, the Borno State Government and the Guzamala Local Government Authorities. Gen. Nicholas added that the military has reinforced security in the locality and that the traditional farm clearing (sharandaji) to declare the farming season open has been earlier conducted in Gudumbali.
โHe assured the returnee IDPs of adequate protection while they resettle, adding that Operation Last Hold has been inaugurated in the theatre to cover the locality and other communities.
โThe Theatre Commander also urged well- meaning Nigerians and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) to support returnee IDPs with farming implements and other relief materials to enable them settle back quickly into their respective communities.โ
