FG STARTS IDPS’ RETURN TO THEIR HOMES

It was revealed yesterday that the Federal Government has started the process of resettling the Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs, back to the areas liberated from Boko Haram insurgents in the North East.

This was disclosed yesterday by the Minister of Interior, Lt-Gen. Abdulrahman Dambazau, who said government is interested to get the people back to their communities to start fresh life after they were forced to relocate from their domains by Boko Haram terrorists.

Speaking through Mr Dauda Noah, a Director in the Ministry of Interior, Dambazau at a Media Round-table organised by Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) on Developing Effective Policy Framework to Address the Situation of Victims of Boko Haram in Nigeria, he said the time is now to relocate them. The round-table, which took place in Lagos was to address the impact of the terrorism on the people and how the IDPs are expected to be treated after they are out of the camp.

Dambazau said the joint military task force had made progress in the battle against the insurgents, noting that it is believed that preparation has to be made to get the people back to their various communities.

In his welcome address, the Director of SERAP, Mr Adetokunbo Mumuni, said that the reintegration and rehabilitation of the people of the North East required the efforts of all and sundry and should not be left for the government alone. The governor of Lagos State, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode, who was also represented by Mrs Bisi Shonibare, the Director, Ministry of Special Duties, lauded SERAP’s effort in putting the roundtable together, adding that it was a genuine concern for Nigerians in the North East and other parts of the country on how to get them settled.