Residents Displaced From Northeastern Communities Fear Boko Haram May Return

Boko Haram flag

Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) from Gwoza, Borno State, who relocated to Abuja following Boko Haram attacks on their homes, have expressed excitement about the recapture of some communities in the north-east. However, they are concerned that the terrorists might return.

The IDPs, who are scared to return home, want the government to put measures in place to ensure that the Boko Haram terrorists will not return to their communities, if they would go back. They made a request on Sunday when Channels TV correspondent Amaka Okafor visited their camp at Apo area of the Federal Capital Territory.

“Not much has changed at the Internally Displaced Persons’ camp. The make shift houses have poor sanitary conditions and lack basic amenities,” the correspondent noted.

The IDPs are seeking the assurance of the government that arms and ammunitions would be mopped up in the areas and that soldiers and other security agencies would remain in the communities for at least six-months after re-capturing the territories controlled by the Boko Haram sect.

While some are ready to return upon assurance by the government, others are not so enthusiastic about a return. They insisted on waiting for first-hand information from their relations before going back.

The military has recorded immense success in the battle to reclaim territories lost to Boko Haram, in recent times, with several towns already recaptured.

The defence headquarters, this weekend, disclosed that “A large number of terrorists have drowned in the Lake Chad as they fled the heavy bombardment by Nigerian Air force heralding the advance of Nigerian troops on mission to flush them out of Baga.

The recent success is bringing back hope for those displaced in the attacks, which has been on for more than five years now. Since the terrorists’ campaign of violence began in 2009, over one million people have been displaced.