6240 Nigerian Refuges Set To Return

By Ibrahim-Gwamna Mshelizza

6240 Nigerian refuges taking shelter in Bosso town of Diffa Province in Niger Republic are set to return home soon to Borno State following the scaling down of attacks by the Boko Haram insurgents on Abadam and Malam Fatori towns where they gled from.

They chorused their agreement to return when the Borno State Deputy Governor, Alhaji Zanna Mustapha addressed them Saturday during his visit.

Alhaji Zanna Mustapha had told them,"I have come to inform you that the activities of the Boko Haram have been curtailed by our security agents. Peace has now been restored and I urge you to come back home and continue your lives as usual.".

"We are grateful to our hosts in Niger Republic for their hospitality especially during our time of crisis as they took you in and msde you feel at home, sharing all they hsve with you generously. We should not overstay our welcome so please come back home", he said.

Earlier in an address of welcome, the Secretary General of Diffa province Hassan Ardo who represented the Governor had told the Deputy Governor of Borno "we in Niger are happy to be of assistance to our brothers from Nigeria. We were shocked by the activities of the terrorists in Nigeria that has brought untold hardship to your people and it ead our duty as brothers to lend some helping hands".

"We pray that this will be the last terrorists attacks on your country. We have regidteref 6240 refuges that came into Niger Republic made up of both Nigerians and Nigereins living in Nigeria. Out of this figure 1500 of them were settled in Bosso town".

He said others have neen settled in Kablewa, Garin Ahmadu Chukudani and Diffa.

A lady school teacher, Madame Magaram Hadiza who spoke to Reuters said,"am happy to have been o help to people in need. I came on holiday and found that my house had been taken over by the refuges whom I welcomed wholeheartedly. I have 15 of them in my house whom I feed everyday and iam happy doing it for as long as I can afford and as long as they stay".