BORNO HUMANITARIAN CRISIS:REPENTANT BOKO HARAM MEMBERS, VICTIMS RECEIVE FOREIGN SUPPORT

The Borno State Government has received a significant donation of ten million dollars to address the needs of over 160,000 surrendered Boko Haram insurgents and victims of insurgency in the state. Governor Babagana Zulum made this announcement during a meeting with the new United Nations Country Representative and Humanitarian Coordinator to Nigeria.

Governor Zulum highlighted the efforts of his administration in relocating 1.8 million out of the 3.5 million displaced persons over the past four years. The prolonged fifteen-year Boko Haram insurgency in the northeast resulted in approximately 3.5 million individuals being displaced in Borno State alone.

Despite ongoing efforts by the Borno State Government to restore destroyed communities and resettle displaced persons, a majority still find themselves in camps and host communities outside the metropolis. One such community is Banki, located along the border with the Republic of Cameroon, hosting over 77,000 victims of insurgency.

Rasheedat Suleiman, a humanitarian worker, and Mohammed Abbas, the head teacher of Banki Primary School, provided insights into the situation faced by residents of Banki. Governor Zulum reiterated his commitment to addressing the humanitarian crisis in Borno State and outlined efforts to tackle the challenges faced by displaced persons and victims of insurgency.

Mohammed Fall, the UN Country Representative and Humanitarian Coordinator, outlined the organization’s agenda for Borno State and the northeast region, emphasizing the need for coordinated efforts to address the humanitarian crisis. In addition to the recent donation, Governor Zulum highlighted the contribution of the Regional Stabilization Fund, supervised by the UN, in rebuilding and resettling destroyed communities in the region.