Borno Gov, Zulum, to resettle 6,000 IDP families amid rising social vices in camps

Borno State Governor Babagana Zulum has announced plans to resettle 6,000 families currently living in the Muna Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camp in Maiduguri, citing a troubling rise in social vices such as prostitution, gangsterism, and child abuse within the camp.

Zulum made the announcement on Monday during an official visit to the Muna camp, one of the largest in the state and home to about 11,000 families displaced by the Boko Haram insurgency. The move, he said, is part of broader efforts to restore normalcy, enable self-reliance, and address security concerns linked to prolonged camp life.

“The truth is, we cannot end Boko Haram without resettling our people,” the governor said, speaking to journalists after touring the camp. “We’ve seen increasing levels of criminality. Our people need to return to their communities and rebuild their lives.”

Governor Zulum noted that the Borno State government began plans nearly four years ago to close formal IDP camps within Maiduguri. So far, 12 camps have been shut down, with only two informal settlements still operational.

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“We have already resettled 75 percent of IDPs in Muna camp. The remaining 25 percent will return to their ancestral homes in the coming days,” he stated.

The resettlement package includes food supplies, building materials, healthcare support, and financial assistance to help the families reestablish themselves. Head of each household, whether male or female, will receive N100,000, while housewives will get an additional N50,000 to support household needs.

Zulum, known for his frequent visits to crisis-hit communities and IDP camps, stressed that the initiative was not only humanitarian but strategic in breaking cycles of dependency and restoring dignity to displaced citizens.

“We cannot allow our people to be reduced to permanent camp dwellers. They deserve better,” he said.

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