Nigeria to set up skill centers in 6 Boko Haram liberated areas

The northeast Nigeria's Borno state is to set up skills acquisition centers in six Local Government Areas (LGAs) liberated from the Boko Haram terrorists, an official said Sunday.

Babagana Umara, the Commissioner in charge of Reconstruction, Rehabilitation and Resettlement, disclosed this at the graduation of 18 women trained in tailoring in an Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camp in Wulari of Maiduguri, the state capital.

The commissioner said the centers are meant to empower the IDPs, especially women with different vocational trade. The training include, carpentry, welding, tailoring, wheel alignment and others.

Umara said the trainees were given monthly allowances and daily feeding during the training program, which was in partnership with the United Nation Development Program (UNDP).

The Boko Haram insurgency has killed more than 15,000 people since 2009 and forced some two million to flee their homes.

The Nigerian army, backed up by neighbors, have retaken most areas held by the group.

The militant group has stepped up attacks and suicide bombings in the past few weeks.

source: Xinhua