Borno indigenes leaving the IDP camps have called for greater security as they return to farm for this year’s cropping season.

A cross-section of the farmers and fishermen made the call in separate interviews at the Muna Camp in Maiduguri.

The Borno government recently commenced the evacuation of the internally displaced persons to their recovered ancestral homes.

The people said they were looking forward to a secure environment allowing them to engage in massive agriculture this season, ensuring adequate food for their families and the state.

Mustapha Bukar from Marte said, “Life is really hard now with the current inflation. We hope that as we go back home, there’s adequate security for us to resume farming, fishing, and livestock-rearing activities. That’s the only hope as we have the vast and fertile land to pick up our lives again after staying in camps for several years due to the insurgency.”

Ibrahim Buba from Gwoza and Modu Mukhtar from Bama lauded the military and other security agencies for restoring relative peace so that people could return and farm.

They, however, asked for more intensive military operations to clear the remnants of insurgents still posing threats to farmers.

“There is still a vast land for farming activities that are not accessible due to threats from remnants of insurgents. We need massive and sustained clearance operations by security to enable thousands of farmers to access their farms for more food production.

“This is to help us escape the rising threat of hunger being predicted if nothing was done to improve security,” Mr Buba said.

Fati Abba from Jere and Tijjani Bulama from Konduga said there were still incidents of attacks on farmers clearing their farmlands despite the military’s recent 10-day clearance operations.

“We need another massive clearance operation and, if necessary, the establishment of military bases in strategic areas in bushes around Sambisa forest and other dangerous areas to protect farmers and fishermen.

“Agriculture is the major opportunity left for millions resettled to recover from poverty; hence, allowing the remnant of insurgents to continue to pose threats to agriculture is dangerous,” Mr Bulama said.

Habu Ibrahim in Jere also called for an intensified clampdown on the remaining insurgents to enable motorists to operate smoothly on the Maiduguri-Bama-Banki Road, Maiduguri-Gwoza-Mubi Road, Maiduguri-Dikwa-Ngala Road, and Maiduguri-Damboa-Biu Road.

“Everything possible needs to be done to ensure these federal roads are fully operational like the Maiduguri-Damaturu Road. Our security must not allow terrorists to continue to pose serious threats to the return of normalcy in the North-East.

“These terrorists overcame the administrations of former Presidents Goodluck Jonathan and Muhammadu Buhari with similar threats. They should not be allowed to do the same to Tinubu’s administration,” Mr Ibrahim said.

(NAN)