In Borno State, displaced individuals who sought refuge in camps due to the insurgency have expressed frustration and issued threats to return to areas controlled by the terrorist group Boko Haram.
Citing hunger and harsh living conditions as their primary grievances, a significant number of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), including family members of repentant Boko Haram fighters, have voiced similar concerns.
Reports indicate a growing discontent among the displaced population, with allegations of neglect from authorities, particularly in the provision of essential daily items such as food and other necessities. Some IDPs and family members of repentant insurgents argue that life was comparatively better under Boko Haram occupation, claiming that present conditions in the camps are unbearable.
The absence of necessities and the lack of available farmlands for cultivation have further exacerbated the situation, leading to widespread frustration among the displaced population.
One resident in an IDP camp lamented, “We took the decision to leave our families behind and relocate to the Boko Haram-controlled area because it is all about dying whether here or there.”
Echoing similar sentiments, families of repentant Boko Haram fighters assert that the hardships in the camps have left them with no choice but to consider returning to territories controlled by the insurgent group.
In response to the development, Borno State Governor Babagana Umara Zulum dismissed the complaints as baseless, stating, “Those who want to return to Boko Haram in the bush are free to do so.”
