- State has 2m Internally Displaced Persons
by: Barnabas Manyam,Yola
The Borno State government painted a graphic picture of Boko Haram terrorism in the state when it says that the sect has seized control of 20 of the 27 local government areas of the state over the last five years.
Only Maiduguri Metropolitan, Jere, Konduga, Kaga, Bayo, Kwayakusar and Biu local government areas remain in government hands.
The state also said it has 2million Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) to cater for and that it recently evacuated 45, 000 of such displaced persons from neighbouring Adamawa State. These facts were made available by the state Deputy Governor, Zanna Umar Mustapha.
More are to be evacuated, Mustapha said during a sympathy visit to IDPs from Askira Uba, Lassa, Chibok, Gwoza.
He added that the welfare of the IDPs alone is costing the state N600m per month.
The deputy governor commended the military and other security agencies in Adamawa and Borno states for their battle against insurgency in the North-East but appealed to them to intensify their efforts.
He assured the IDPs of government’s resolve to bring the situation under control.