No fewer than five communities in Kukawa Local Government Area of Borno State have been resettled after years of displacement caused by the Boko Haram insurgency, with farmers returning to their ancestral lands while schools and fishing activities gradually resume.
The Executive Chairman of Kukawa Local Government Area, Mustapha Muhammad, disclosed this to the Nigerian Tribune in Maiduguri on Tuesday in an exclusive interview on the situation in northern Borno.
He noted that the relative peace in the area had enabled displaced residents to return home and begin rebuilding their lives after years of insecurity.
Kukawa was among the areas badly affected by the Boko Haram insurgency, which disrupted farming, fishing, education, commerce and other economic activities across the local government.
According to the chairman, improved security had encouraged farmers to return to their ancestral homes and regain access to their farmlands.
“The farmers are now returning to their ancestral homes after the restoration of peace in the area, and they are now having access to their farmlands,” he said.
He said the disruption also kept many children out of school, adding that the reconstruction of schools was helping to bring them back to the classroom.
“The government is providing free meals and uniforms to encourage parents to send their children back to school,” he added.
Muhammad said fishing, which was also badly affected by the insurgency, was beginning to pick up, including fish marketing and other related activities.
He, however, said some security challenges remained, particularly for people travelling between communities.
The chairman said people moving through some parts of the local government still required military escorts, adding that improved security had significantly reduced attacks and ambushes along major routes, including Mairari-Cross Kauwa and Doro.
He said the local government was working with security agencies to sustain the improvement and enable residents to move freely and return to their businesses.
Muhammad attributed the progress to the commitment of Borno State Governor, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum, who, he said, had continued to visit local government areas and support the people despite the security challenges.
He said the governor’s efforts had helped sustain the restoration of governance and economic activities in communities affected by the insurgency.
