By Musdapha Ilo, Maiduguri

Residents of Baga who fled attacks by Boko Haram insurgents and are now being housed at an internally displaced persons, IDP, camp in Maiduguri now have some respite with the delivery of four- trailer loads of relief materials by the federal government on Wednesday evening

Baga, in Kukawa local government of Borno State, has been attacked twice in just over a week with thousands of residents reportedly killed by the terrorists and hundreds injured. More than 10,000 persons are believed to have fled to Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, nearby towns and villages as well as across the border into Chad.

The relief materials were delivered to the camp in Maiduguri by the North East coordinator of the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, Mohammed Kanar.

The items delivered included 600 bags of rice, 300 bags of Maize, 500 pieces of women wares, 400 pieces of men wares, 1,000 blankets among other items.

Kanar who presented the relief materials on behalf of the Director General of the agency, Mohammed Sani Sidi, said the items are for the 3,200 displaced people from Baga town currently staying at the camp.

“These items are to meet the basic needs of the IDP’s from Baga town and to alleviate their sufferings,” Kanar said.

The chairman of Kukawa local government, Bukar Kukawa thanked the federal government for the assistance while asking for the protection of the displaced person.

He called for a speedy conclusion of the military operations in Baga and surrounding villages so that the displaced persons could return to their homes.

Most of the houses in the town were reportedly burnt down by the rampaging insurgents.

Although more than 2,000 were reportedly massacred in the attack on Baga, the Nigerian military has said that this figure is exaggerated and that it had evidence of only 150 deaths.

The military has also said that it was conducting operations to reclaim the town from the insurgents.