1000 IDPS RETURN HOME TO BAGA JUST AS BOKO HARAM INSURGENTS ARE LURKING TO STRIKE
At least one thousand residents of Baga who were forced to flee into Internally Displaced Camps because of the deadly Boko Haram Insurgents have returned home.
The Governor of Borno State Babagana Umaru Zulum was personally present in Baga town to monitor the safe transportation and resettlement of the returnees.
Governor Zulum gave each returnee a sum of N10,000 as emergency relief. He also gave every adult member of a household one bag of rice, one bag of maize grain, one bag of beans and three litres of cooking oil.
Food given to the returnees.
Baga town, a once commercially viable town was besieged and eventually taken over by Boko Haram terrorists about two years ago. Mass killings and abductions forced residents to flee to Internally Displaced Camps in Monguno and Maiduguri.
READ ALSO: BAGA IDP RESETTLEMENT PLANS, A NEED FOR CAUTION
The returnees, many of whom have lost their loved ones and their possessions to the Boko Haram’s terrorist activities, now have to build their town again from scratch.
BUILDING ON HOPE DESPITE FEARS
Reconstruction and rehabilitation work is in progress in Baga town following the orders of the Borno State Governor. On Saturday, September 26, Baga held its first Juma’at prayers in nearly two years.
But it is not yet time to celebrate. Boko Haram Insurgents are still in Borno. They are lurking in the forests ready to pounce if they find security loopholes.
Boko Haram has attacked the Borno State Government’s convoy three times in three months. On Wednesday, July 29, Boko Haram shot at Governor Zulum’s convoy at Baga town. Fortunately, there were no casualties in the attack.
However, the security operatives attached to the government convoy attacked by the Boko Haram insurgents on Friday, September 25 were not that lucky. Reports say the Insurgents ambushed a government convoy near the town of Baga, killing at least 20 persons.
Some of the returned IDPs
Two days afterwards, another government convoy was attacked on Sunday, September 27, during the return journey to Maiduguri. Although the latest attack did not lead to casualties, it is a strong indication that Baga returnees are not safe.- Not until the war against Boko Haram is won.
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