The Governor of Borno State, Prof. Babagana Zulum, said, on Wednesday, that the closure of the Nigeria-Niger Republic border by the Federal Government had stalled the efforts to repatriate over 120,000 Borno residents who fled to Niger Republic to take refuge after being displaced from their communities by Boko Haram.
The governor made the disclosure when he appeared before the state House of Assembly to present the 2024 budget.
Zulum, who said he had secured €10m and €500,000 grants from Germany and Switzerland, for the resettlement of residents displaced by Boko Haram, remarked that efforts to repatriate those that fled to the Niger Republic had been stalled since the border was closed in the wake of the military takeover of power in Niger Republic.
“There are over 120,000 Nigerian refugees in Niger.
“The coup de tat in the Niger Republic has impeded our plan to repatriate Abadam and Guzamala people (refugees) home from that country,” he told the lawmakers.
“I will continue to pursue more grants for the programme,” he said.
The Borno governor, however, appealed to the people of the state to forgive and embrace repentant Boko Haram insurgents to enable them to reintegrate into society.
Zulum said embracing the repentant terrorists was better than having them return to the terror group and continue to wreak havoc.
The PUNCH reports that since the beginning of the implementation of the Federal Government’s Operation Safe Corridor and the Borno State Government’s programme of reintegrating the ex-combatants in their home communities, fears have raged over possible retribution by those whose relations they killed or maimed during the insurgency.
However, Zulum urged that instead of retribution, the communities should live in harmony and support the surrendered insurgents to resettle and reintegrate well at home.
“I want to call on the people of Borno State to support the repentant Boko Haram insurgents, “ he said, revealing, that over 160,000 insurgents and their families have so far repented.
“We understand your fears, but imagine that these people are left in the bush; they would have been wreaking more havoc than imagined, “ Zulum maintained, observing, “Managing them in repentance is, therefore, better. “
The N340.6bn Borno State 2024 budget presented by had N53. 8b for finance and economic development; N39. 4bn for education and N5.1bn for health care.
