Borno State Governor, Babagana Umara Zulum, has ordered the immediate closure of the Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camp in Bama, the largest displacement facility outside Maiduguri, citing improved security conditions and growing concerns over criminal activities within the camps.
The governor made the announcement on Thursday during an assessment visit to the Government Secondary School IDP camp in Gwoza.
According to Zulum, authorities had completed the screening and profiling of displaced persons in Bama, and the camp was scheduled to be shut down by noon on Thursday. He added that the Gwoza IDP camp would also be closed within the next two to three weeks following the completion of profiling exercises.
The governor said the decision was made possible by the relative peace that has returned to many communities previously affected by Boko Haram insurgency.
He noted that the state government has successfully resettled residents in several communities across Bama Local Government Area and other parts of the state over the past seven years.
Zulum, however, expressed concern over increasing criminal activities within IDP camps, warning that some camps were becoming vulnerable to infiltration by Boko Haram and ISWAP elements.
He said those identified during the screening process would be resettled in their respective communities under the supervision of local leaders.
The governor also revealed that many residents who had already returned to their homes were moving back into the camps to access relief materials distributed by humanitarian organisations.
He said the government had uncovered a significant number of fake IDPs and could no longer sustain the operation of camps under such circumstances.
Zulum assured that the government would ensure the resettlement process remains sustainable and disclosed that additional IDP camps across the state would be closed before the end of his administration.
