Shettima Vows to Close Down IDP Camps in May, 2018, Returns IDPs to Host Communities

By Ahmed Abu, The Nigerian Voice, Maiduguri

Governor Kashim Shettima of Borno State has declared that all IDPs willing to return back to their host communities would be supported by the state government and humanitarian partners to do so on or before May, 2019.

He also said that plans have already been put in place by the state government to officially close down all the IDP camps in Borno state by May, 2018

Kashim Shettima who stated this in Maiduguri while inspecting some major ongoing capital projects within the state capital, Maiduguri pledged that the displaced persons who are willing to return to their homes would be granted safety and support by the state government and humanitarian partners to do so willingly.

He also disclosed that the state government was building mega schools within the state capital, Maiduguri for the displaced children who have been rendered orphans.

Shettima added that the widows, displaced youths and widowers will also be supported and provided with skills acquisition facilities and tools through the women and youths empowerment schemes or the state government in collaboration with the humanitarian development partners.

"Borno state government has already declared that it will officially close down all the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) designated camps in the state, by May, 2018," Shettima said.

It will be recalled that there are ongoing building projects in the state which includes mega schools being built for the displaced orphaned children which are spread across the local government areas liberated with some being completed and ready for commissioning while others are in various stages of completion.

“We have to make provisions for education of these orphans. Now it is not possible for us to build those mega schools in the villages because security is still a little bit tenuous.

“But most importantly, in all the local government headquarters, we will build the mega schools. So that children orphaned by the crisis in those communities can be kept in school for proper education."

Over 50,000 children have been rendered orphans whose parent were victims of Boko Haram insurgency and constitute the highest number of of the IDPs children.