By Olarewaju Kola
MAIDUGURI, Nigeria (AA) - Around 5,000 people who had been displaced by Boko Haram violence in northeast Nigeria celebrated Eid al-Adha at home for the first time in six years on Monday.
In the town of Konduga, 35 kilometers (22 miles) from Borno state capital Maiduguri, the returnees gathered at a praying ground surrounded by the rubble of homes destroyed by the militants.
The town is at the heart of territory dominated by Boko Haram during a terror campaign that began in 2009 and has seen at least 20,000 killed and 2.3 million displaced. Over that period the group seized territory the size of Belgium before being pushed back by the military.
“Praise be to Allah that we can gather to pray at Eid this year, six years after Boko Haram forced us out of our town,” resident Babagana Ali told Anadolu Agency.
Lawan Goni Hassan, the town’s chief imam, added: “Allah has ended Boko Haram’s evil agenda.”
State Governor Kashim Shettima was present in Konduga to observe Eid and inspire confidence among the local population.
“My coming to this place with other officials is to inspire confidence in the multitude of our people who have been traumatized by the insurgency,” he said.
Over the last week, buses organized by the state government began transporting people from Maiduguri to newly liberated areas.
However, Boko Haram remains a threat in the area. On Saturday, a man was killed and three passengers injured when gunmen fired on vehicles 50 km (31 miles) outside Maiduguri, the Vanguard news website reported.