Govt Must Address Post-Boko Haram Social Problems, Says CAN

From Tom Garba,Yola
Chairman, Christians Association of Nigeria (CAN), Adamawa state chapter, Bishop Mike Moses, has said that while the Boko Haram insurgency is dying off, internally displaced persons returning to their liberated areas currently face serious social problems that calls for urgent government attention.
Moses, who spoke in Yola explained that recaptured towns like Mubi, Michika, Hong, Maiha were still suffering from skeletal banking and telecommunication services.
He urge the government to put more attention on the returnees in the area of health facilities, water, agriculture and electricity which were seriously affected by the activities of the insurgents.
While lauding the federal and Adamawa state governments for working hard to chase out Boko Haram in the North East, he reminded both Christians and Muslims to cultivate the habit of tolerating one another and appreciating each other’s religion.
His words: “We thank God there is relatively peace in the entire North East, at least all the captured areas by Boko Haram have been liberated. What left is a social problem which could be more dangerous than the dreaded Boko Haram.
“As I’m talking to you there is intense enmity between Michika Muslims and Christians shifting blames, accusation and counter-accusation over who brought Boko Haram. Innocent people are being killed for allegedly joining the group. The hitherto one-market day in the town has been divided into two along religion line. That is not going to work well towards the peaceful coexistence of the people. It might even degenerate into another serious problems if not curtailed well by the government.”
Moses also advised the government to make sure that they involve all stakeholders in the plans to rebuild the North East.