Borno Govt yet to receive details of Ngala abduction, as 29 Ambassadors visits Zulum
Governor Babagana Zulum while receiving North East Ambassadors Group under the chairmanship of British Ambassador to Nigeria, Richard Montgomery at Government House, Maiduguri
By Dauda Iliya
The Borno state government has called on the international community to scale up humanitarian and development intervention in order to resettle more than two million displaced persons in a dignified manner.
Governor Babagana Zulum made the call when he received a high powered delegation of North East Ambassadors Group under the chairmanship of United Kingdom Ambassador to Nigeria, Richard Montgomery at Government House Maiduguri.
The 29-member North East Ambassadors Group comprised of bilateral partners, United Nations agencies, European Union, International finance institutions across different parts of the world who are interested in ensuring the stability and development of the region.
The Group in recent years has provided support for the humanitarian, development and peace building efforts, for North East and the Lake Chad area through the Regional Stabilization Fund, RSF and One-UN offer for management of repentant insurgents.
Borno state, the epicentre of Boko Haram insurgency has over five million people affected by the conflict, with about two million still living in camps.
However, with donor fatigue from the international community and harsh economic situation in the county, management of displaced persons and other victims of Boko Haram insurgency is challenging.
Borno state Governor, Babagana Zulum said the state requires 2.7 billion dollars to resettle millions of displaced persons and provide them with durable solutions.
According to him, the state government would commit fifteen percent of its annual budget to the solution pathways.
“The resettlement will be conducted based on Kampala convention. In order for us to do this, we need to construct 85,000 houses for 335,947 households in 66 communities accross the state. I am committed to resettling this people in descent homes in secured areas only ” Zulum emphasized.
On alleged abduction of dozens of IDPs in Gamborun Ngala, Governor Zulum explained that investigation is still on to ascertain the true situation of the matter.
“what has happened in Ngala we are yet to get an official report, no body knows what has happened, among them I believe that are those that willingly went to the bush, we have to be careful, the situation is becoming very dicey”
Chairperson of the North East Ambassadors Group, who is also the British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Richard Montgomery said the purpose of their visit is to understand recent progress, present situation and future plans for the resettlement of IDPs.
He expressed commitment of partners to support the initiative of the state government to improve the livelihood and well-being of victims of insurgency.
Members of the delegation include UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator, Ambassadors of United States, Norway, France, Belgium, Canada, Ireland, Japan, Egypt and Heads of Development partners.
Correspondent Dauda Iliya reports that the group also visited women and girls skills acquisition centre and Muna IDP Camp to assess the situation.
