Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno State on Thursday launched the distribution of humanitarian support to more than 4,000 households in the newly resettled town of Malam-Fatori, Abadam Local Government Area of the state.
The beneficiaries are returnees who spent over a decade as refugees in neighbouring Niger Republic after fleeing insurgent attacks. The intervention aims to provide relief, help rebuild lives and restore confidence in the future.
Each male head of household received ₦20,000, 25kg bags of rice and maize, as well as clothing materials, while female heads of households received ₦20,000 and wrappers.
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Zulum explained that the support was prompted by the town’s difficult terrain and limited access to basic amenities, noting that it would significantly ease hardship and accelerate the resettlement process.
“This is not just about money or food,” the governor said. “It is about restoring hope and reassuring our people that even in their darkest moments, they are not forgotten.”
During the visit, Governor Zulum also toured irrigation farms cultivated by the returnees, where agriculture is fast emerging as a key source of livelihood. He described the farms as symbols of resilience and optimism, pledging improved farming inputs and sustained support to boost productivity and enhance food security.
Beyond Malam-Fatori, similar assistance was extended to more than 6,000 vulnerable persons in Bosso, Niger Republic, in recognition of host communities that sheltered Nigerian refugees for nearly nine years.
The governor also made an unscheduled late-night tour of Malam-Fatori to assess recovery efforts firsthand. Markets were active, traders were engaged, and social life was cautiously returning despite years of displacement.
He interacted with traders and small business owners, assuring them that government support would go beyond relief efforts to include empowerment programmes, access to capital and sustainable livelihoods.
Additionally, Governor Zulum donated operational vehicles and essential logistics to the 68 Battalion of the Nigerian Army in Malam-Fatori to enhance troop mobility, rapid response and patrol coverage along key routes into the town.
