By Sam Kayode
Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno State has announced that the Bama Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) Camp, the largest in the state outside Maiduguri, will be closed within the next one month.
Zulum stated this on Thursday in during an interview with journalists after an assessment visit to the Government Science Secondary School, Bama IDP camp.
The Governor personally supervised the screening of displaced persons for more than three hours to ensure that only genuine households are captured in the resettlement programme.
He expressed his administration’s commitment to ending displacement in Bama council area.
“We are here to examine the remaining displaced people that are living in the IDP camp with a view to ensuring the closure of Bama IDP camp,” Zulum stated.
The Governor said the exercise forms part of the ongoing efforts to facilitate the safe and dignified return of displaced families to their ancestral communities following years of displacement caused by Boko Haram insurgency.
Over the past seven years, Borno State Government has successfully resettled several communities in Bama council area including Darajamal, Nguro Soye, Goniri, Banki, and Abbaram. Bama remains one of the council areas worst hit by insurgency, with thousands of residents displaced from their homes.
Governor Zulum stated that the screening of male households from the affected communities has already been completed, adding that efforts are underway to complete the resettlement process and permanently shut down the facility.
“We have three communities that are left to be resettled, namely, residents from Mayanti, Goniri, and Bula Kuriye.
“By the next one month, the Bama IDP camp, which is the largest camp in the state outside the state capital, will be closed,” he added.
Similarly, Governor Babagana Zulum has inspected the construction of the modern shopping complex and dualization of the Bama township road.
The Governor commended the contractor for the quality of work, describing the project as a key component of the state government’s urban renewal programme.
The Governor recalled that Bama Market was destroyed by Boko Haram insurgents about 15 years ago, but was later rehabilitated under the administration of his predecessor, Vice President of Nigeria, Kashim Shettima.
Zulum said his administration is building a modern shopping complex comprising 156 shops in front of the market and is working towards a comprehensive remodeling of the facility to enhance commercial activities and improving the town’s appearance.
“We are trying to provide a befitting shopping mall in front of the market, totaling 156 shops, while also remodeling the market as part of our urban renewal programme.”
According to the governor, the market upgrade aims to expand economic opportunities for residents, improve livelihoods, and create a more conducive environment for traders and businesses to flourish.
He also disclosed plans to decongest the town through the dualization of major internal roads, particularly the township road linking Maiduguri and Gwoza through Bama. He added that existing roads within the town would also be rehabilitated before the end of his administration.
The governor also inspected the teachers’ quarters and the Higher Islamic College, Konduga.
Bama used to be the second largest commercial town in the state before the advent of insurgency which sent thousands into Idps camps for safety .
