Borno residents return home after years in Yobe

The safe return of internally displaced persons (IDPs) to Maiduguri, Borno State, has begun in Yobe State, with authorities prioritising the protection of women and children, who constitute the majority of returnees.

The relocation is coordinated by the Security Adviser to Governor Mai Mala Buni, Gen. Dahiru Abdulsalam (retired), with assistance from the Director of Search and Rescue at SEMA and other security agencies.

As of Tuesday morning, IDPs from the Water Board facility and the Roundabout axis along Maiduguri Road started their journey from Damaturu, after previously signalling their readiness to return.

The Yobe State Government supplied free transportation and full security escorts to facilitate the movement.

Officials coordinating the exercise report that 1,295 individuals have been safely transported to Maiduguri.

Most of the returnees are women and children under 14, underscoring the vulnerability of the displaced population.

Security personnel deployed along the route maintained order and increased confidence among the returnees.

“Profiling of the remaining IDPs is ongoing.

In Kasaisa village, 93 households comprising 547 individuals have been registered, an official said.

Some IDPs in Kasaisa, during interactions, said, “We are excited to return to our ancestral homes in Borno State.”

The provision of free transport and security has eased the burden on displaced families and brought relief as the state government works to reintegrate them safely.