The Borno Government has directed all civil servants in the 10 local government areas of the state liberated by the military from Boko Haram to return to work with immediate effect.

Alhaji Usman Zannah, the state Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, gave the directive while fielding questions from the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Maiduguri.

Zannah said: “Governor Shettima has directed all workers from the 10 liberated local government areas to return to work with immediate effect following the return of relative peace to the towns.

“Local government areas like Mafa, Magumeri, Dikwa, Konduga, Benisheikh, Askira Uba, Kala Balge and Kaga, among others, were all free from Boko Haram and they are habitable.

“The whole of these local government areas were also rebuilt by the state Ministry of Rehabilitation, Reconstruction and Resettlement with the support of NGOs like Victims Support Fund, Dangote Foundation, among others.

“It is in line with this development that Governor Shettima directed that salaries of workers must be paid in all liberated local government areas.

“We don’t see any reason why workers should remain in Maiduguri when many people have returned to their communities.

“As you can see, we passed through Benisheikh, now we are in Tomsukawuri, and we are also moving to Metakorori and Ngamdu, and majority of the inhabitants of the villages have returned.”

Meanwhile, some parents in Borno on Sunday appealed to the State Government to re-open public schools closed since May 2014, to allow their children continue with their education.

The schools were closed in May 2014, following attacks on students in neighbouring Yobe.

The influx of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) to Maiduguri frustrated the state government’s efforts at re-opening the schools.

A cross section of the parents made the appeal in an interview with NAN in Maiduguri.

They expressed reservations on the continuous closure of the schools even with the relative return of peace in the state.

Malam Muhammad Askira, a parent, said the state government has no excuse to keep the schools closed, following the evacuation of the IDPs from the buildings.

“Our children have been out of school for over two years, now that we have relative peace, we did not hear the government saying the children should go back to school.

“Three months ago, the IDPs occupying schools like Yarwa Girls Secondary School and five other schools were relocated to other camps for the schools to be reopened, so what are they still looking for?”

Malam Sadiq Mu’azu, another parent, supported the call, saying it is time the schools are re-opened.

“I am not surprised because this is about three months since they evacuated IDPs out of schools and up till this moment no school was re-opened.”

Mrs Zainab Abubakar, another parent, appealed to the government to reopen schools to reduce youth redundancy.

“When you go round you will see our youths engaging in all forms of nefarious activities without been checked.

“We are not happy that schools are closed, we hope the government will do something about it.”

•Pieced together from separate NAN stories. Photo shows Governor Shettima.

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