By Musdapha Ilo, Maiduguri

The Nigerian Army on Thursday said three of the twenty local governments of Borno state retaken from the control of insurgents can now be inhabited by its residents.

The three local governments are Konduga, Bama and Gwoza.

The army said that temporary camps have been constructed to accommodate those that fled the town in the heat of the crisis.

The Nigerian Army has also commenced medical outreach aimed at giving free medical treatment to those affected by the insurgency in the liberated towns.

The Commander of the 7 Division of the Nigerian Army, Lamidi Adeosun, a Major General, appealed to the residents to return as Maiduguri, where most of them presently reside is overstretched.

He disclosed that the medical outreach in Konduga has already treated about 1,000 internally displaced persons, IDPs from about 20 surrounding villages of the town.

Adeosun said the medical outreach which was initially introduced in Maiduguri was extended on Wednesday to Konduga and will consequently be moved to other liberated towns.

He explained that that the medical exercise would last for three days in each of the locations, adding that President Muhammadu Buhari had directed that the process be implemented fully.

The Medical Director of 7 Division, Nigerian Army, Ikechukwu Okeke, a Brigadier General, said the major health challenge so far experienced by the IDPs was malnutrition.

He noted that although they were experiencing lack of adequate medical facilities at the camps, plans are underway to make needed materials available.

He added that serious medical cases are being referred to the State Specialist Hospital or University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital in Maiduguri.

Okeke also lamented the insufficient number of medical personnel sent to cater for the numerous IDPs but expressed hope that more would be deployed soon.