Alhaji Sani Zoro, the House of Representatives Committee Chairman on Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), has advised the IDPs to be wary of returning home until the military certifies their communities safe.
Zoro gave the advice in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Dutse on Friday.
He noted with concern that some IDPs have started rushing home after the capturing of Sambisa forest, saying this did not augur well for their safety.
According to him, there is the need for the military to certify the communities safe, after liberating the territory hitherto seized by insurgents.
“I am not happy about the development that IDPs in the camps are rushing to their homes, because already there is fear that some of these communities have been mined by insurgents.
“There is need to escalate the level of reconstruction, especially shelter and means of livelihood in this harmattan season and there is also need for the massive `demining’ of all liberated areas and the army had to confirm that such places are safe for the return of IDPs” .
He also advised the Federal Government to assign the reconstruction of houses, roads, police stations and schools in the North-East to the military.
Zoro explained that such a decision will generate employment in specialised areas such as carpentry, masonry and engineering.
He said that the Armed Forces should be encouraged to develop their capacity in other aspects of human endeavour as obtained in other parts of the world. (NAN)