BY MUSA IDRIS UMAR, MAY 06, 2025 | 09:38 PM

Borno State Governor, Prof. Babagana Umara Zulum has expressed deep concern over increasing criminal activities within internally displaced persons (IDP) camps, describing the situation as unsustainable and dangerous to societal values.

The governor said while announcing the resettlement of thousands of displaced persons from the Muna camp in Maiduguri on Monday.

'We have observed that in the IDP camp, there is increasing prostitution, rising gangsterism, child abuse, and other forms of criminality,' the governor said.

To address the worsening conditions, the governor unveiled a comprehensive resettlement package for nearly 10,000 IDPs returning to their ancestral homes in Dikwa and Mafa local government areas.

Each household head will receive a minimum of N100,000, while wives will be supported with N50,000 each, along with food and non-food supplies.

According to him, restoring people to their communities is central to ending the insurgency and rebuilding lives.

'Boko Haram can never be eradicated without resettlement. People must return to their ancestral homes to regain their means of livelihood and dignity,' he emphasized.

In addition to cash and material aid, the returnees will benefit from access to healthcare services and basic social amenities as part of the reintegration plan.

The initiative aligns with the government’s broader strategy to shut down all formal IDP camps in Maiduguri.

'We’ve already closed down about 12 of them. Only two informal camps remain. At Muna, we’ve resettled about 75% of the IDPs, and the remaining 25% will be returned in the coming days,' he stated.

In a separate move to strengthen rehabilitation and reduce recidivism, the governor also visited the Maiduguri Maximum Security Correctional Centre. There, he announced plans to upgrade vocational and technical training facilities for inmates.

'The goal of incarceration is reform, not merely confinement. Without adequate facilities, true rehabilitation is impossible,' he said.

He further disclosed that the state may review cases of inmates convicted of minor offences for possible release within the bounds of the law.