IDPs reluctant to return as Borno begins reconstruction

As the devastation in Borno State is on the mend due to the gradual return of safety in liberated communities, Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the state as well as those that have sought refuge in other states are concerned about moving back. While some of the displaced persons are happy about moving back home, […]

As the devastation in Borno State is on the mend due to the gradual return of safety in liberated communities, Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the state as well as those that have sought refuge in other states are concerned about moving back.
While some of the displaced persons are happy about moving back home, others are reluctant because they are still not sure of the relative safety of the place. Most have lost everything as a result they have nothing to go back home to, while others are reluctant because moving back home reminds them of the bitter experience of the past as such would prefer to resettle in another community.
One of the IDPs, Deborah at the Bama IDP camp told Home Font  that even though she wants to go back to living her normal life, she still feels it is no longer possible for that to happen due to the horrific experiences she had witnessed.
She said she is content with living in the IDP camp with her three out of five remaining children that are with her there. Any disruption will involve another drama and she is not prepared for that again. She also said she has been through so much and has gotten tired of the movement from one place to another.
Kande Moses at the new Kuchingoro IDP told our reporter she will return back home when adequate provisions have been put in place for her to do so.
She pleaded with the state government to rebuild her house and prayed for the menace to totally come to an end so she can reunite with her family who were stuck at the Maiduguri camp.
“I have been praying for when I can reunite with my mother and children that are stuck in Maiduguri camp for months now. I lost my husband when the insurgents took over our community and now I am not even sure they are still alive. But I pray they are fine so we can reunite and start building our lives together” she said.
Another IDP Jummai Samson said going back to her village in Konduga is going to be very difficult for her because she has seen family members being slain there explaining that the sect visited her community and killed any man they saw and snatched every woman and child that were present.
“I cannot find my son and husband up till today. I don’t want to go back and hear they are dead, so I’d rather remain here and imagine they have started building a new life elsewhere,” said.
Josiah Moses while recounting his ordeal to our reporter said he fears that the state government is not misleading the masses and telling them what they want to hear because as recent as Tuesday an attack was reportedly launched at a military official where lives were lost and injuries were sustained on the Maiduguri, Konduga road.
“Konduga is one of the recently liberated communities by the military and hence these attacks should not be happening there,” he said.
Moses who acknowledges that even as the communities have been reclaimed, there may still be soft attacks and hence the government should not hastily encourage citizens to move to these communities yet until it is certain no more lives and casualties will be recorded.
“We have lost too many lives and hence we should preserve the ones we still have remaining, it will be too painful for us to think we are free to move back home and then more attacks are launched on us. We should not encourage more tragedy please,” he said.
During a recent visit to some liberated communities in Borno State by the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Muhammed, Governor Kashim Shettima said  his state has started reconstruction of some of the liberated communities that were previously snatched and occupied by the Islamic sect Boko Haram.
The governor who said the reconstruction of these communities would have started long before now but once the process have begun the insurgents would strike back bringing down all constructed structures, also lamented  the cost of resources the state had expended on repeatedly rebuilding of attacked communities especially in places like Gwoza, Bama, and Kaga.
“There was a particular month where we approved and released N1 billion for reconstruction of work and building of Bama and Konduga only for all reconstructed amenities to be brought down shortly after. This was just in one particular sad moment and we have had many particular sad moments like that. But the worst is over and we are on a path to regeneration, reconstruction and resettlement of our people,” he said.
He told the minister that building blocks are being provided by the state government free for the citizens to come back home and rebuild their houses. He also assured the minister that rebuilding of 1000 houses will commence in Bama from January 2nd next year but pointed out that until poverty and unemployment has been addressed insurgency and other vices will continue plague the nation.
The governor also urged the federal government to address the problems of poverty, unemployment adding that the worst in Borno State is now over.
“We are now on a path to resettlement, reconstruction of our people. The Borno sun will start shining once again and very soon and we will do whatever it takes to work for the people and for us in Northern Nigeria. We have no option than to improve on the quality of governance to work for our people if at all we want to live in this part of the world,” the governor said.
Governor Shettima who said poverty in Nigeria wears a northern face called on state governors in the north to buckle their belts and deliver good governance to his people.
The governor who lamented that by 2050 Nigeria will be the 3rd most populous country on earth with a population of 440million people, also said that, while the family size is stabilizing in the south, 70% of Nigerians will live in the north and with desertification, deforestation and negative effects of climatic changes, as well as meager resources, the effect will be too harsh for northerners in the country.
“Those of us from this part of the world have no option in our enlightened self-interest, let me be brutally frank with you but to wear our thinking caps and do what is right for our people,” he confessed.
 The governor who also blamed social exclusion for birth of Boko Haram said once youths are engaged injobs and other activities the menace will evaporate.
“Our focus and vision is to adopt a holistic approach. It is not only about building homes but we need to also provide education, create jobs especially in agriculture. We are spending N20 billion every year importing tooth pick, tomatoes, apple. Things that can be produced here making us, virtually an importing nation,” he said.
But an educational psychologist, Clement David says moving these persons back is not going to be as easy as it is being said stressing that the rehabilitation should be the main focus now. He said some of these displaced persons still do not think they can be safe in these communities because the army and security officials will not be living with them.
Clement said some have gone through horrific experiences that may hamper the way they further live their lives hence they need to be fully cured before they can move into the community to live again.
“It takes more than reconstruction of facilities, psychologists must also be deployed to cater for them, because they have seen where the lines between humanity have been crossed and hence they must be fully fit and ready to live among people. And this is where everybody including government, NGOs must put all hands on deck to ensure that this is done,” he said.