Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum, has announced plans to close the Bama Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) Camp within one month, marking a significant milestone in the state’s post-insurgency resettlement programme.
The camp, located at the Government Science Secondary School, Bama, is the largest displacement facility outside Maiduguri in Borno State. The governor made the announcement on Thursday after supervising a screening exercise for displaced families aimed at verifying beneficiaries eligible for government resettlement support.
Zulum said the verification process was designed to ensure that only genuine households are documented as the administration moves toward the full reintegration of displaced persons into their ancestral communities.
“We are here to examine the remaining displaced people that are living in the IDP camp with a view to ensuring the closure of Bama IDP camp,” he said.
The planned shutdown follows years of gradual resettlement efforts across communities in Bama Local Government Area, which were heavily affected by the Boko Haram insurgency. Over time, thousands of residents have returned to rebuilt communities such as Darajamal, Nguro Soye, Goniri, Banki and Abbaram.
According to the governor, only three communities—Mayanti, Goniri and Bula Kuriye—remain outstanding before the camp can be permanently decommissioned.
“We have three communities that are left to be resettled… By the next one month, the Bama IDP camp… will be closed,” he added.
During the visit, Zulum also inspected ongoing infrastructure projects in Bama, including a modern shopping complex and the dualisation of major township roads. He described the projects as central to restoring economic activity and improving urban functionality after years of destruction.
He recalled that the historic Bama Market was destroyed during insurgent attacks about 15 years ago before its earlier rehabilitation under former governor and current Vice President, Kashim Shettima.
As part of the current reconstruction effort, the government is building a 156-shop commercial complex in front of the market while also undertaking broader remodelling works aimed at modernising the trading environment.
Zulum said the market redevelopment is intended to stimulate commerce, improve livelihoods, and strengthen the town’s economic base.
He also disclosed that the administration is dualising key roads linking Maiduguri, Bama and Gwoza to ease congestion and improve connectivity, while other intra-town roads are scheduled for rehabilitation before the end of his tenure.
The inspection tour further extended to the High Islamic College and teachers’ quarters in Konduga, reflecting ongoing investments in education infrastructure across conflict-affected communities.
The governor was accompanied by senior officials, lawmakers and community leaders. The planned closure of the Bama IDP camp is expected to mark a new phase in Borno’s recovery and transition from emergency displacement management to permanent community resettlement.
