Borno State Governor, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum, on Sunday, undertook a humanitarian assessment of Malam-Fatori, headquarters of Abadam Local Government Area in northern Borno on the fringes of the Lake Chad.
Zulum had visited Malam-Fatori in February 2020, July 2021 and October 2021, before his latest visit on the 6th of March, 2022.
The latest visit was for the governor to finally re-assess resettlement works he had assigned a committee to do. The committee is chaired by the state’s Commissioner for Agriculture, Engr Bukar Talba.
Zulum inspected 1,000 temporary shelters put in place by the committee which the households will occupy before permanent houses are fully reconstructed.
The governor also directed the state’s Commissioner for Reconstruction, Rehabilitation and Resettlement to immediately rebuild five blocks of classrooms at a central primary school within the next 10 days.
Zulum also directed the rehabilitation of a healthcare centre and a Friday-mosque around the old cattle market in the town.
The governor expressed satisfaction with the resettlement committee’s work, preparing for the return of IDPs and refugees who stayed in Bosso and Diffa border towns in Niger Republic since 2014, after fleeing attacks from communities in some of the 10 local government areas located in northern Borno.
The governor explained that each of the returnees will be supported with 100,000 naira cash as part of a participatory rebuilding approach.