By Bashir Rabe Mani, Sokoto
For years, many of them lived with the trauma of losing their homes to devastating floods. On Tuesday in Illela Local Government Area of Sokoto State, hope returned as 100 internally displaced families received new homes and financial support to begin rebuilding their lives.
The beneficiaries, who were displaced by recurring floods that ravaged parts of the border community, were handed keys to newly constructed housing units under a partnership between the Sokoto State Government and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
The project was commissioned by Borno State Governor, Babagana Umara Zulum, who described the initiative as a life-changing intervention for vulnerable families.
Standing before rows of newly completed houses, Zulum said the project represented more than bricks and mortar.
“For these families, this is a new beginning. It is an opportunity to regain stability, dignity and hope after the hardships they have endured,” he said.
Beyond the housing estate, the commissioning also featured Climate Peace Hubs, a 50-kilowatt solar mini-grid and the foundation-laying ceremony of the proposed Illela International Market, projects expected to boost livelihoods and economic activities in the border community.
The emotional highlight of the event came when Sokoto State Governor, Ahmed Aliyu, announced a cash grant of ₦500,000 for each of the 100 beneficiaries to help them restart their lives and small businesses.
Aliyu said the housing scheme was conceived after devastating floods displaced hundreds of residents across Illela over the last two years.
“These homes are designed to provide a safer and more comfortable environment for families who lost everything. We want them to start again with dignity and hope,” he said.
The governor revealed that additional housing projects were already being planned for victims of banditry and other security-related displacements in different parts of the state.
According to him, the intervention forms part of broader efforts by his administration to support vulnerable communities through shelter, food assistance, building materials and financial aid.
While addressing the gathering, Governor Zulum commended Aliyu’s leadership, saying the Sokoto governor had transformed the state beyond expectations.
“The governor has performed beyond our expectations. He is undoubtedly one of the best-performing governors in Nigeria today,” Zulum declared.
He urged residents to support Aliyu’s administration, expressing confidence that greater achievements would be recorded if he secures a second term in office.
The project also drew praise from the Sultanate Council. Representing the Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, Alhaji Ahmed Barade commended the initiative, describing it as a timely intervention that would restore hope to displaced familie
For the beneficiaries, however, the day was less about politics and more about recovery. After years of uncertainty and displacement, hundreds now have a place they can once again call home.
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