The Borno Committee on the Resettlement of Displaced Persons to their ancestral homes has distributed food items and cash to 8,640 households in Kukawa Local Government Area of the state.
The Chairman of the committee, Mr Kaka- Shehu Lawan, the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, disclosed this while addressing newsmen on Wednesday in Maiduguri.
Lawan said that 3,640 women returnees were also given N5, 000 each to start petty business.
He said the returnees were resettled three months ago in Baga, Doro and Cross-Kauwa communities.
He said that preparation had reached advance stage to resettle the people of Mairari and Kareto where the construction of 200 houses had been completed.
Shehu said the resettled communities who are mostly farmers and fishermen on the shores of Lake Chad, would continue receiving government support.
He added that a committee has been constituted to clear water hyacinth and typa grass on the lake to make it more conducive for fishing activities.
“The communities we have resettled are mostly pastoralists, farmers and fishermen.
“They have started fishing activities in small scale. We have met those concerned about security to map out the water ways so that our people will embark on a large scale fishing and farming activities,” Shehu said.
The chairman who visited military formations in the area, commended the military and other security agencies for their sustain effort to restore peace and civil authorities in the areas.
“I want to commend the authorities of 19 Brigade and 401 Special Force Brigade for also providing health support to the populace,” Shehu said.
Also speaking, the Commissioner for Local Government and Emirate Affairs, Alhaji Sugu Mai-Mele, who is the Secretary of the committee, reiterated the commitment of government to resettled displaced persons in a dignified manner.
Mai-Mele said that apart from construction of residential houses, government had rebuilt schools, hospitals and other social facilities in affected towns and villages.
Some returnees who spoke to News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) commended the sustain support from the government and security agencies.
They called for the full commencement of operation by the Naval Base in Baga for more security to allow for the resumption full scale fishing and farming on the shores of Lake Chad. (NAN)
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