NEMA begins resettlement of returnees in Borno

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) on Thursday said it has begun preparations for the resettlement of returnees to Jakana community of Konduga Local Government Area of Borno.

Mr Abdulkadir Ibrahim, Information Officer, NEMA Northeast Zonal Office, in a statement said the agency in collaboration with the military has begun preparations to return the affected persons to their homes sequel to the completion of the military operation in the area.

He said that the agency has made adequate arrangements to distribute food and non-food items to the affected persons, to ease their sufferings caused by the displacement.

“The Nigerian Army and camp management officials at Bakassi Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camp are preparing for the relocation of the evacuated people of Jakana back to their community after the conclusion of military operations to flush out insurgents in the area.

“The relocation will begin with the evacuation of women, children and the other vulnerable groups before the men.

 “Food and non-food items were mobilised by NEMA for distribution in Jankana community, to reduce the effect of the disruption of economic activities as a result of the evacuation,” he said.

The army on April 9, evacuated residents of Jakana to Bakassi IDPs camp in Maiduguri for safety due to the ongoing clearance operation against Boko Haram insurgents in the area.

The UN Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria, Mr Edward Kallon, said that up to 10,000 women, men and children who were forced to relocate to Maiduguri, the capital of Borno State, from a town 40km away.

On the evening of Monday, the Nigerian military ordered the immediate departure of and forced the relocation of up to 10,000 civilians in the middle of the night from Jakana town.

It was gathered that on Jan. 10, the UN-OCHA said an additional 30,000 IDPs have fled volatile areas around the Lake Chad in Borno to Maiduguri, the capital, following a recent upsurge of Boko Haram attacks in the area.

The UN said the impact of the recent fighting on innocent civilians was devastating and has created a humanitarian tragedy.