Liberated areas: Why IDPs can’t return home

Our correspondents report that most of the internally displaced persons (IDPs) taking refuge, especially in Borno and Yobe states, are willing to go back home but are afraid of the obvious challenges in their communities which were forcefully taken over by Boko Haram for many months.Community leaders, local officials, trapped residents that gained freedom and […]

Our correspondents report that most of the internally displaced persons (IDPs) taking refuge, especially in Borno and Yobe states, are willing to go back home but are afraid of the obvious challenges in their communities which were forcefully taken over by Boko Haram for many months.
Community leaders, local officials, trapped residents that gained freedom and human rights advocates observe that countless decomposing bodies, destroyed houses, adulterated sources of water, landmines and ordinances planted by roadsides and the absence of permanent security forces in the affected communities are some of the challenges that must be addressed for the IDPs to return home.
This they said will take several months no matter the resources that may be deployed to make such communities habitable.
Throughout 2014 and early this year, many local government areas in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states were subdued by the terrorists, forcing residents, political, religious and traditional leaders to flee their homes.
In Borno State for instance, local councils completely under the control of the Boko Haram include Ngala, Kala Balge, Abadam, Marte, Abadam, Damasak, Monguno, Kukawa, Guzamala, Magumeri, Mafa, Dikwa, Bama and Gwoza. They also had significant presence in Kaga, Damboa, Chibok, parts of Biu, Askira Uba, Hawul, Shani.
In Yobe, the insurgents usurped Gujba and Gulani local government areas even as they have significant presence in Potiskum, Nangere, Fune, Tarmuwa and Geidam local councils.
And in Adamawa State, they took over Michika, Mubi North and Mubi South, Maiha, Hong, Song and Gulak among other local councils.
However, in the last four weeks, the tide changed in favour of the multinational security forces who have liberated most of the local government areas in the affected states.
In Borno for instance, with the exception of Bama and Gwoza, all the remaining local government areas and several villages and hamlets  have been recovered, local officials said, but expressed fears that the chances of occupying such communities in the next few weeks is slim.
In Yobe, Bara, the headquarters of Gulani local government area and Gujba, the capital of Gujba council area have been recovered.
The situation is the same in Adamawa where only few places are still under the occupation of the insurgents.
“We are happy that our communities have been liberated but it is practically impossible to return in the coming weeks or months,” said Alhaji Ali Sheriff Galga, chairman of Monguno, a garrison town in northern part of Borno, who was one of the few people that got the rare privilege of visiting the recaptured towns.
In an interview with newsmen in Maiduguri, Galga said he was appalled by the level of destruction that took place in Monguno and its environs.
“Many people were rescued from the insurgents and kept in a place. The troops in Monguno gave them food and other social services,” he said.
The chairman said when he took a stroll through the streets of Monguno: “We saw dead bodies scattered everywhere, and when we visited some government structures and residences of some prominent persons, we still discovered some people were killed therein. The insurgents were successful in looting the places, killing the people who hid there but we are glad the tide has turned against them.”
Galgal said he also visited the 5-Brigade Nigerian Army Monguno: “During my interaction with the commanding officer, I extolled the gallant efforts of the officers of the brigade and I presented food items to them.”
Some of the officials that accompanied the chairman to Monguno said for the first time in their lives, they saw dogs feasting on decomposing human flesh.
“Clearing the mess in Monguno and other towns will definitely take months and rebuilding destroyed houses is equally a herculean task,” said Alhaji Bakura, one of the people that was on the trip.
“Frankly speaking, the destruction is above the capacity of Borno State government … there is the need for the federal government and the international community to intervene,” the official said.
Weekly Trust reports that the situation is the same in Dikwa town, also in northern Borno, which was liberated by Chadian troops. A video released by the Chadian Television shows decomposing bodies of insurgents at the palace of the Shehu of Dikwa. Several places, including residential buildings, public utilities and places of worship are all in ruins.
“Gamboru and Ngala towns are worse,” said Jamal Ahmad, a resident of the town who said it took him and some of his colleagues two weeks to get to Maiduguri after trekking through difficult terrain along the borders between Nigeria, Cameroon and Niger.
“We finally found ourselves in Maine-Soroa (Niger) and then ventured into Geidam in Yobe State where drivers conveying fish brought us to Maiduguri,” he added.
Borno State deputy governor, Alhaji Zannah Umar Mustapha, who is the overall chairman of various committees saddled with the responsibility of taking care of IDPs in various camps, said it will be premature to start talking about sending the displaced back to their villages and towns.
“Yes, communities have been liberated but they are not safe, they are not even fit for security operatives to stay because most barracks and police formations have been destroyed. No water, nothing and all these things must be addressed and this will take at least three or four months to complete,” Mustapha said.
Fanta Sheriff, a mother of four from Monguno, also expressed fear over going back home: “We all wish to go back to our houses but our predicament is our safety. The Boko Haram insurgents are still around in some hiding places. We are also afraid because we heard that they have planted mines in our communities.”
On efforts at making the communities safe before resettling the IDPs, Governor Kashim Shettima, speaking through his special adviser on communications, Isa Umar Gusau, said: “The communities that have been liberated have serious challenges that need to be addressed. We have this concern that insurgents have contaminated even water for drinking by dumping dead bodies into wells, destroying boreholes and what have you. ”
He added that: “So many houses were destroyed in attempts by Boko Haram to takeover and possibly in their exchange of fire when military launched successful attacks to reclaim the places. Hospitals have been destroyed, markets, farmlands, stalls, animals have been killed, schools have been destroyed, all of these are serious issues that have to be addressed before IDPS can be taken back.”
The governor noted that: “Those asking for IDPs to return, can they send their wives and families to these territories to live? How sure are we that the IDPs are safe to return when we only few days ago, had a case of attacks near Maiduguri? We have to be sure that there are no mines in these communities; we have to provide the basics, water, healthcare, shelter at least.
“In previous attacks by Boko Haram on different communities before occupation, we always rebuilt destroyed communities before displaced persons reoccupied them. In Bulabulin-Ngarnam in Maiduguri, we had to build about 500 houses to resettle victims who lost houses after Boko Haram takeover of their community, this is in just one small area in Maiduguri; we are now talking about Boko Haram taking over an entire local government area, not one, not two but 20. In some cases, they lived there for months, how safe are these places, what about health concerns arising from dead bodies? We are talking about communities ravaged by war. We need to please respect the sensitivity of our traumatised citizens and not play politics with their lives.”