Don't Divert IDPs Materials, Shettima Warns Borno Govt Officials

SAN FRANCISCO, September 16, (THEWILL) – Any government official found diverting supplies and materials meant for internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Borno State would be summarily dismissed.

The State governor, Alhaji Kashim Shettima, gave the warning Wednesday in Maiduguri, the state capital, while swearing in newly- appointed commissioners and caretaker chairmen of local government areas of the state.

The governor ‎also directed the Chairmen of Ngala, Kalabalge and Gwoza council areas to relocate to Yola, the Adamawa State capital, to effect the return of over 10, 000 Borno IDPs recently sent back from Cameroon.

Charging the new appointees on the task before them, Shettima said: “Hunger is the main problem of our internally displaced people whose communities have been destroyed by Boko Haram insurgents, we must do all we can to alleviate their suffering and give them a new lease of life.

“Let me warn all of you, I will not even think twice in removing any chairman and commissioner found wanting in the discharge of his duties ; if anybody, be it a commissioner, local government chairman or member of the state House of Assembly or any government official tampers with foodstuff meant for the poor, he will incur the full wrath of the law.

“Let me make it abundantly clear, that I will involve the state security services and the military to monitor the distribution of these foodstuff, and ensure they report back to me.”

Maintaining that all hands must be on deck to reduce poverty in the state , he promised to start rebuilding the destroyed communities soon.

His words: “We will commence the rebuilding of Bama with or without assistance from international communities after the Sallah celebration. The people of Askira and all other destroyed communities will go back to their communities after the rebuilding.”