North East govs set May 29 deadline to shut IDP camps

Governors of states in the north east affected by Boko Haram insurgency have resolved to shut down camps of Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs, in various locations by May 29, nest year.
Borno State Governor, Kassim Shettima disclosed this to State House Correspondents at a press briefing yesterday after a closed door meeting with United States Secretary of State, John Kerry shortly after his meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari.
Shettima said: “On the issue of resettlement, the bulk of IDPs are from Borno State , the population of Maiduguri has swelled from two million to three million now. And where there is a will there is always a way.

“Believe me by May 29th, next year we want our people to go back to their homes. We are going to marshal whatever resources with or without international support to see that we have restored the dignity of our people.
“We cannot wait for eternity for manner from international community to develop our communities. The biggest IDP camp is in Kenya, the Kenyan government has finally summoned the political courage to close down that camp.
“In most of the camps, there is challenge of early marriages, child prostitution, drug abuse, of gangsterism.
The sooner we close them down the better.
“In any case, no matter how good life is in the IDP camp there is no place like home.”
Shettima briefed the press in company of three other governors, including Abdulfatah Ahmed (Kwara), Mohammed Abubakar (Bauchi) and Aminu Tambuwal (Sokoto)

He stressed that he was interested in restoring the dignity of the IDPs, saying this would start with the rebuilding of Bama.
“By May 29th next year, believe me, you will hear very little about IDP camp. We will adhere to the Kampala convention; we will not compel anyone in IDP camps to go back to their community.

“But you know our people, they carry their poverty with dignity and they are willing to go back home,” he said.
Shettima explained that Kerry had assured that the United States would continue to provide necessary support for the people affected by the insurgency.
Also at the briefing, Ahmed explained that one area that was emphasised was looking at the meeting with the United States Secretary beyond being a talk show.
According to him, there was need to see it driven under actionable plan that would translate to the expected goods and services for the people and truly strengthen the synergy for improved service delivery.