Boko Haram terrorists ravaged 1 million homes, destroyed N1.9trn property in Borno —Official

The Borno Government on Tuesday said about 1 million houses and public structures were destroyed by Boko Haram insurgents in the 27 local government areas of the state.

The insurgents also destroyed properties worth over N1.9 trillion in the past six years.

Alhaji Yerima Saleh, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Rehabilitation, Reconstruction and Resettlement, disclosed this at a news conference in Maiduguri.

Saleh also said that the insurgents razed down 986, 453 residential homes; 5, 335 classrooms, 201 health facilities, 1, 630 water facilities and 726 power distribution stations and transformers.

He added that 800 public structures such offices, prisons, police posts and other structures were destroyed by the sect members.

“The quantum of destruction caused by insurgents is monumental resulting in serious humanitarian crisis.

“The damage calls for serious intervention from government, development and humanitarian organisations.

“The destruction has rendered 22 out of the 27 local government council areas uninhabitable,” he said.

To mitigate the problem, the permanent secretary said the state government had established the ministry to facilitate rapid rehabilitation and re-settlement of ravaged communities.

He said that the ministry had so far rebuilt and rehabilitated public and private buildings in 14 councils in the state.

He disclosed that the state government had so far constructed about 25, 000 houses in the liberated communities.

Saleh said that more than 10,000 houses were reconstructed in Bama, while 7,000 others were completed in Gwoza.

He listed other projects to include classrooms, clinics, police posts, markets, slaughter slabs, roads, palaces, courts and places of worship in the liberated communities.

“We are going into total reconstruction and rehabilitation in Bama, Dikwa and Ngala.

“The projects have reached between 50 and 75 per cent completion in the affected areas,” he said.

Other projects, he said, were ongoing in Mafa, Dikwa, Ngala, Damboa, Chibok, Askira Uba, Mobar, Biu and Hawul local government areas.

The permanent secretary reiterated the commitment of the state government to provide humanitarian support services to persons displaced by the insurgency.

“The state government is collaborating with Federal Government and development organisations to address the humanitarian crisis in the state,’’ he added.