The Borno government says it will close all Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps located within the state capital Maiduguri by December 31.

Governor Babagana Zulum made this known while addressing State House correspondents at the end of a closed-door meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari in Abuja on Friday.

He said the decision to close the camps in Maiduguri was informed by improvement in the security situation in the state, and to enable IDPs return to their ancestral homes.

“I came to brief the president on efforts made by the Borno State government in ensuring the return of internally-displaced persons to their homes.

“So far so good, the Borno State government has started well and arrangements have been concluded to ensure the closure of all internally-displaced persons’ camps that are inside Maiduguri on or before December 31,” the governor said.

He said arrangements were in place for the safe return of persons displaced into Niger and Cameroon, in collaboration with the ministry of humanitarian affairs.

“In addition to that, the Borno State government is also making efforts in collaboration with the ministry to continue with the repatriation of Nigerians in Minawo Camp in Cameroon.

“Furthermore, on November 27, the Borno State government will ensure the resettlement of IDPs that are living in Diffa Province of Niger to Malumfatari, a local government area in Borno where we don’t have a human population because of the insurgency,” he said.

(NAN)