Zulum visits returnee refugees at Damasak

Hundreds of Nigerian refugees in neighbouring Niger Republic have begun returning to their ancestral homes in various communities across Mobar Local Government Area of Borno State.

The returnees had since five years ago fled and crossed into the neighbouring country as a result of incessant attacks on their villages by Boko Haram militants in northern part of Borno.

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Governor Babagana Zulum on Saturday travelled to Damasak, headquarters of the local government, where he met with 674 displaced households who have received food items and cash support from him.

Zulum, while supervising the distribution of bags of grains and cooking oil to each household, directed the release of N10,000 cash to each of the families as immediate social protection.

Zulum, in company of the commissioner for reconstruction, rehabilitation and resettlement, inspected ongoing construction of 1,000 shelters that are to accommodate the returning refugees.

He also directed the expansion of military trench in order to create room for the construction of more houses for the returning refugees IDPs.

Beside humanitarian issues, Zulum while in Damasak, visited an abandoned irrigation facility.

The Governor, after inspecting the destroyed facilities, directed the ministry of Reconstruction, Rehabilitation and Resettlement to invite Engineers to look into the possibility of reactivating all machines to restore the irrigation facility so that farmers can make use of it.

Aside agric, Governor Zulum directed the State Road Maintenance Agency to reassess the extent of damage at the famous “Kam Kura noz3y3” bridge, linking Nigeria with Niger Republic.

Before returning to Maiduguri later in the day, Zulum visited the Damasak General Hospital, and the military task force brigade.

He appealed to the brigade Commander to look into the possibility of allowing people to access their farmlands early, as against the usual practice of 10am.