Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno on Wednesday expressed concerns over growing cases of drug abuse and prostitution in Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps in the state.
Zulum, who is the Chairman of Northeast Governors’ Forum, stated this when he appeared on Channels Television’s morning show, Sunrise Daily, on Wednesday.
He said, ”We have to address the social, political and economic dimension of this crisis, which is very important because there is increasing poverty in the sub-region. That is something that will trigger insurgency that it includes food insecurity in the sub-region because food insecurity is the worst form of insecurity.
”And that is why Borno State government under my distinguished leadership has been advocating for farming for the last few years, farmers should be allowed to go to their farmlands, the Nigerian Military should create the enabling environment for farmers to go to their farmlands, so that they can cultivate their lands.
”It is no more sustainable for our Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) living in both camps and in the host communities to receive foods and non food items from donor partners. People must earn their means of livelihood if we want to ensure that it this insurgency comes to an end.
”I think mistakes have been done before whether we like it or not. We accumulated huge number of people in the IDP camps, it is not right! There is that increasing prostitution in the IDP camps, there is increase in drug abuse, there is increase procreation in the IDP camps and therefore we brought an alternative that what we shall do is that, government should create an enabling environment that will ensure reconstruction and resettlement of IDPs back to their communities in a dignified manner. That is something very important.”
He also warned those politicising security issues to stop, encouraging the military to sustain the momentum against insurgents.
He stated, ”You should take note that the issue of security should not be politicized. That is something which is very important. As I’ve rightly pointed out, there is a need for us to sustain the momentum.
”Whether we like it or not, the Nigerian military has to be well equipped, that is one. Whether we like it or not, the numerical strength of the Nigerian military is lean. And therefore, this peace that we are having now has to be looked into again, if we want to sustain it.
”Why I’m saying this is that, right now, we have some problems in the shores of the Lake Chad. We have some problems in the Sambisa game reserves as well the Mandara Hill.
”So, the Nigerian Army should not relax by this our statement that there is peace in Borno State, there is peace Northeast sub-region. What we are saying is truth. Yes, we have started witnessing gradual return of peace into the sub-region, but that does not mean that the problem is over.”
