Following insurgent attacks on Chibok community by bandits and Boko Haram, many of the locals fled for safety and have spent over a decade away from their homeland.
The Chief Whip of the 10th Senate, Ali Ndume, and the Member representing Chibok, Domboa and Gwoza Federal Constituency, Ahmed Jaha (Babawo), have said the Chibok community in Borno State is now experiencing a "relative" level of peace.
Vanguard reports that after the first insurgent attack on the Chibok community in 2011, which led to other series of attacks by bandits and Boko Haram insurgents, many of the locals fled for safety and have spent over a decade away from their homeland.
Speaking at a cultural festival organised by Kibaku, Chibok, Area Development Association, KIDA, at the weekend in Abuja, Ndume said recent developments indicate that Chibok has started to see a substantial improvement in its security situation.
While pleading with the locals to return home, Ndume said their absence is hampering their economic growth.
"Those that want to drive us, those that are killing our brothers, let them understand that we are vigilant. We're going to do this at Chibok.
"We're going to do it (cultural festival) at Maiduguri. Maiduguri is our state's headquarters. Let them know that we Chibok people are different. That's how God made us. So, if we come, if we finish with Chibok, every year we do this, then we will go and do it in Maiduguri, and then we will come to Abuja.
Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
"I'm begging you all, let's return home. If we don't return home, home will not grow. If you're in another place, all your endeavours and doings, the home that is not yours, is not yours.
"The town that is not yours, is not yours. Chibok is our home. Henceforth, let's gather our people to come and display our traditions. Let's do it at home. And for those in the barracks, they should identify themselves with our home. Let's go home. If we start from home, let's start from Maiduguri. If we go to Maiduguri, let's come back here", he said
Speaking on the safety of Chibok community, Hon. Jaha, said: "Safe is a relative term. Chibok is relatively safe, relatively safe in the sense that we still have areas that are still under the occupation of Boko Haram and we equally have areas where you still have insurgency attacking such communities."
Speaking on the essence of the festival, the National President, KIDA, Mr Dauda Iliya, said: "Since 2011, following the insurgency, a lot of our people who are dispersed and displaced and following which they have had their children. We now have teenagers. We have adolescents who were born outside the Kibaku homeland that know little or nothing about our culture and tradition.
"So, we are holding this as a stopgap so that they see the details of our artifacts, our dance, our food, and our culture."
Also speaking, the Abuja Chairman, KIDA, Mr. Nkeki Mutah, while expressing happiness over that festival, added that the festival will young children who have never been to their homeland to understand and see their culture.
