Zulum Orders Closure of Borno's Largest IDP Camp

On Thursday, Governor Babagana Zulum announced the immediate closure of Borno's largest Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camp located in Bama, which is set to shut down within a week. This decision was made during his assessment visit to the Gwoza secondary school IDP camp.

The closure is part of a broader resettlement program aimed at improving security in the region, which has been plagued by Boko Haram insurgency for the past seven years. Governor Zulum expressed concerns about the rising criminal activities within IDP camps and warned of the gradual infiltration of insurgents, including Boko Haram and ISWAP, into these facilities.

He noted that many residents had returned to their communities, and a screening exercise revealed a significant number of individuals falsely claiming to be IDPs. The governor emphasized the need for sustainable return and resettlement, as many camps have become nearly deserted, with only about 400 households remaining in the Bama camp.