By Sadiq Abubakar
Maiduguri
Borno state government has said that over $20 million was required to resettle about one million indigenes internally displaced by the Boko Haram insurgency from 22 local government areas of the state that were destroyed in the past few years.
The deputy governor disclosed this yesterday when members of. Nigerian Red Cross Society led by its President, Mr. Peter Maurer, and Country Director, Malam Ahmed, paid a courtesy visit to him at the Government House, Maiduguri.
He said: “We, the government and good people of Borno state, want to use this opportunity to thank you (Red Cross), NEMA and other donor agencies for supporting us in this out trying moment. 22 out of the 27 local government areas were destroyed, and over 1million IDPs are living in Maiduguri, the state capital alone.
“Just yesterday, we received another batches of 4,500 IDPs from Gaidam who were sent away by government of Niger Republic and more are still on their way to Maiduguri.
“Borno state needs over $20 million to resettle its people that were displaced as most houses, business centres and places of worship were all destroyed by the insurgents.”
Earlier, in his address, the President of the Red Cross Society, Mr. Maurer said the Deputy Governor that they were in the state to personally see the IDPs and hear from them, particularly their conditions, so as to enable the organisation to considerably increase its humanitarian gestures as a result of the renewed attacks and killings by the sect.
The president while sympathizing with government and people of the state and the north- east sub-region over the activities of insurgents also urged other donor agencies to assist in cushioning the hardship faced by the victims of Boko Haram terrorists.
