Borno State Governor Babagana Zulum has officially closed the Muna Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camp in Maiduguri, which has housed over 11,000 people for the past decade.

The governor cited alarming levels of illicit activities within the camp as the primary reason for its closure. "We have observed that in the IDP camp there is increased level of prostitution, gangsterism, cases of child abuse and other criminalities," Zulum stated during the announcement.

Muna IDP camp, one of the largest facilities established during the height of the Boko Haram insurgency, was among the last remaining camps in the state capital. Governor Zulum had previously closed 12 formal IDP camps in Maiduguri four years ago, leaving only two informal settlements operational until now.

The governor emphasized that the resettlement process is crucial to combating terrorism in the region. "Boko Haram can never be eradicated without resettlement taking place. People have to go back to their homes and earn their livelihood," he explained.

Resettlement Package for Displaced Persons

According to Governor Zulum, approximately 75 percent of the IDPs from Muna camp were already resettled in 2024, with the remaining 25 percent scheduled to return to their ancestral localities in the coming days.

To facilitate the transition, the state government has announced a comprehensive support package for the displaced families. Each of the 6,000 households will receive food aid, shelter materials, and access to healthcare services as part of the resettlement process.

Additionally, financial assistance will be provided, with each household head receiving N100,000, while housewives will be given an additional N50,000 to help them restart their lives in their home communities.

The closure of Muna camp marks a significant milestone in Borno State's ongoing efforts to address the humanitarian crisis caused by years of insurgency and to restore normalcy to affected communities.