Zulum returns 23, 291 refugees from Niger with shelters, other livelihoods
By Njadvara Musa, Maiduguri
Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum has returned 23, 291 refugees from Niger Republic with the allocation of temporary shelters in Damasak border community of the State.
According to him, the refugees comprising women and children fled to Diffa province for safety during the 14-year Boko Haram insurgency.
While addressing the refugees on Wednesday in Damasak, the Governor disclosed: “This event was to resettle all of you; after spending about five years in Diffa province over insecurity to lives and property in Damasak.
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“Each of the households from Niger will collect N50, 000 with the distribution of food and non-food items, including mats and blankets.”
Besides the provision of temporary shelter, he added that each of the women refugees are also to receive N5, 000 with a wrapper to overcome the harsh cold weather from the Sahara desert.
Over 20,000 women, including housewives, widows and those from internally displaced camps, benefited from the distribution. Each woman received N5, 000 in cash and one wrapper.
Zulum continued; “In continuation of efforts to support the vulnerable communities and Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) from Damasak, the council headquarters of Mobbar, the State government has distributed non-food items to over 20,000 vulnerable women.”
He said the vulnerable women included housewives, widows and others from the IDP camps in the border community with Niger.
Teachers were also not exempted yesterday, from the allocation of shelters, after most of the houses were torched during the over a decade terrorism.
The Governor allocated 10 houses for teachers of the Zanna Umarti Primary and Government Secondary Schools, Damasak.
He, therefore, urged the teachers to always identify the problems facing the schools, including their welfare to boost the morale of teaching.
Zulum added that each of the over 100 teachers in the two schools, is to receive a cash support of N50, 000.
