Boma Achenimie 
In a decisive move to combat growing insecurity and promote resettlement in Borno State, Governor Babagana Zulum has officially closed the Muna Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camp in Maiduguri.
Saturday Telegraph recalls that the Muna IDP camp, established during the peak of the Boko Haram insurgency, is one of the largest IDP camps in the region and housed over 11,000 displaced persons.
The IDP camp has long served as a temporary shelter for thousands of individuals and families displaced by conflict across northeastern Nigeria.
Despite this, it has harboured a lot of criminals in recent times, which led the Governor to announce that the camp had become a hotspot for illegal and dangerous activities.
“We have observed that in the IDP camp, there is an increased level of prostitution, gangsterism, cases of child abuse, and other criminalities,” the governor said while announcing the closure.
He stressed that the continued existence of such camps undermines the state’s security and development goals.
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According to him, a permanent solution to the insurgency crisis must include resettling displaced persons back in their ancestral homes and helping them rebuild their lives.
“Boko Haram can never be eradicated without resettlement taking place. People have to go back to their homes and earn their livelihood,” Zulum declared.
Governor Zulum, known for his proactive stance on IDP reintegration, had previously declared in 2021 his administration’s intention to close all 12 formal IDP camps in Maiduguri.
With the closure of the Muna camp, only two informal camps remain.
He revealed that about 75% of the Muna camp residents were resettled in 2024, and the remaining 25% will be returned to their communities within the coming days.
As part of the state’s comprehensive resettlement plan: Each of the 6,000 households will receive food aid, shelter materials, and access to healthcare services.
Heads of households, whether male or female, will receive ₦100,000 each.
An additional ₦50,000 will be given to every housewife to support household income and stability.
This initiative, Zulum noted, is intended to ensure dignity, self-sufficiency, and long-term reintegration of the displaced populations.
The closure of the Muna IDP camp marks a significant milestone in the Borno State government’s broader efforts to stabilize the region, dismantle dependency on humanitarian camps, and empower returnees through direct support and infrastructure rebuilding.
Governor Zulum’s administration continues to receive national and international commendation for its bold and humanitarian approach to post-insurgency recovery.
