No fewer than 1,088 persons comprising students, teachers and technicians have been trained in e-Learning and e-Teaching in Jigawa State.
Those trained included 1,000 students, 61 teachers and 27 student-technicians.
The five-week exercise held in Dutse, the state capital.
The state governor, Alhaji Muhammad Badaru Abubakar approved the deployment of over 8000 e-learning Tablet Computers tagged e-Mallam, to all senior secondary school students and teachers across the state.
The 9.6-inch and 9-inch devices for teachers and students, respectively, come with pre-installed educational applications designed to enhance learning for students across the states.
Earlier at the inauguration of the e-Mallam pilot programme, the governor said that the move became necessary because of the declining level of education his administration inherited from the previous regime with WAEC failure rate of over 95 percent.
He added that e-Mallam Tablets will prepare students for examinations and train them on digital technology especially since examinations bodies are shifting from paper and pencil to computer-based testing.
Commissioner for Education Hajia Rabi Hussein-Adamu Esiak, said the introduction of the tablet will help improve quality of education in the state.
She said that statistics show that the students have not been learning well, hence, the decision of the government to initiate an intervention like the e-tablet to change the status quo.
On request of the governor, the Project Coordinator, Basheer Adamu Aliyu, an engineer, demonstrated how the devices provide interactivity and simulation in various field in a manner that is easy for students to appreciate, understand, remember and apply in real life situations.
Speaking on the project, Mr Abdussalam Ismail, the Country representative of Echo Telecoms, said Jigawa state has taken the lead becoming the first state in the whole of northern Nigeria to adopt innovative approach to learning.
E-Mallam Tablets use Tech-driven innovative solutions to enrich quality of teachers’ output and encourage students to learn, explore and innovate.
The authorities have released tips on containing the latest health threat. GBENGA OMOKHUNU reports
The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Administration has stepped up to keep the lethal Lassa fever out of the territory.
The Health and Human Services Secretariat released some useful tips on how to effectively prevent the spread of the virus. A carrier of the virus who visited Abuja is said to have died.
The FCT Administration noted that this proactive step has become necessary in order to halt the spread of the virus.
The Administration has urged the residents not to spread foods to dry along the road as well as keeping the houses and surroundings clean by blocking all holes around the houses, clearing all bushes and disposing refuse in covered dustbins.
It has advised the residents to discard all foods partly eaten by rats and tightly seal all animal foods in metal containers.
It also urged the residents to cover all foods and water properly and set traps in and around the house to reduce rat populations.
In the same vain, infected patients should be isolated from contact with unprotected persons until the disease runs out its course.
Apart from avoiding contact with Lassa fever patients’ secretions, residents are advised to wear protective gear such as masks, gloves, gowns, and goggles when caring for patients.
Following the confirmation of the disease in some states, the Health & Human Services Secretariat embarked on measures aimed at preventing its spread in the Territory.
Meanwhile, the FCT Disease Control and Disease Surveillance as well as Notification Officers in the six Area Councils are on high alert as they have stepped up disease surveillance activities within their various localities, especially at the border communities.
The Heads of Health Departments in the Area Councils have already been directed to step up sensitisation in the communities – markets, motor parks, churches and mosques; while the distribution of fliers is ongoing.
The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Administration has appealed to the police high command to step up surveillance on the increasing activities of vandals in the Federal Capital City and arrest those involved.
FCT Minister, Malam Muhammad Bello made the appeal while receiving the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Solomon Arase who paid him a working visit in his office at Area 11, Garki I District, Abuja.
The Minister specifically requested the police to apprehend those removing such vital equipments as electrical and telecommunication cables, manhole covers as well as railway tracks that are still under construction.
According to a statement issued by Deputy Director/Chief Press Secretary, Muhammad Sule, the minister warned that security agents have to frontally tackle all those engaged in these nefarious activities, which has the potentials of graduating into big time criminals if they are not adequately checked.
His words: “What is more disturbing now is that even the urban railway system that is under construction, vandals have started vandalizing the tracks by removing vital equipments. Of course, the issue of the manhole covers is well known. Each manhole is probably about four meters deep and when you leave it open, it’s very dangerous”.
According to him, “even though these might not appear to be very serious crimes compared to armed robbery and kidnapping, they are still crimes because those that do these minor criminal activities eventually graduate to become big time criminals”.
He charged the Inspector-General to also unmask those patronizing these vandals to put an end to the illicit trade; stressing, “we need to identify who those vandals are and the markets where they take these items for sale”.
“We need to make examples with some people; or else, government will continue to invest a lot of resources on key infrastructure and people will just vandalize and sale them for a fraction of the cost,” the Minister added.
Malam Bello used the occasion appreciate the existing cordial relationship that exists between the FCTA and the Nigeria Police which he noted has made his job and the security of Abuja a lot easier.
The Minister pledged that the FCT Administration would continue to support the security agencies to do their job of making Abuja a very secure city.
The Minister however frowned at the scenario where some Abuja motorists flout basic traffic rules; describing it is disheartening to see that up till now, some road users in Abuja still do not like to obey traffic signs.
Earlier in his remark, the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Solomon Arase appreciated the logistic support of the FCTA and called for more assistance in terms vehicles to the FCT Police Command to boost their surveillance activities.
The Police boss revealed that he has deployed horses to strategic areas like the Federal Secretariat to beef up security activities; remarking that the Police Force would do everything possible within its powers to keep Abuja safe.
Mr. Arase further solicited the support of the FCT Administration to provide FCT a befitting Police Headquarters that will give the ambience the Federal Capital Territory truly deserves.
The FCT Permanent Secretary, Dr. Babatope Ajakaiye and some other senior officials of the FCT Administration joined the Minister to receive the Inspector-General Police.
The Registrar, Pharmacists Council of Nigeria, Mr. Elijah N. A. Mohammed has inducted 36 fresh Pharmacy graduates of University of Maiduguri. The ceremony held at the El-Kanemi Hall of the university, with the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Ibrahim Abubakar Njodi in attendance. Others at the event were Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic) and Bursar of the institution.
Prof Njodi who chaired the ceremony hailed the induction of his Pharmacy graduates. He stated that the Faculty of Pharmacy in the University, being the only accredited Faculty of Pharmacy in the Northeast has played a leading role in producing the pharmaceutical manpower in the zone. He added that the faculty has graduated over 300 pharmacists since inception in 2002.
He used the opportunity to plead with the Federal Government and its drug regulatory agencies to vigorously put into operation the legislature that will curb drug abuse, faking and quackery. He urged the graduates to venture into the society as good ambassadors of the University stressing that they are expected to be honest, trustworthy and dedicated in all their undertakings.
The Registrar, Pharmacists Council of Nigeria (PCN) in his remarks thanked the Vice Chancellor and the University for the support given to the Faculty of Pharmacy. He stated that he had earlier carried out assessment of the facilities of the Faculty in company of the PCN Accreditation Team. The Accreditation Team had been in the University for four days assessing facilities and human resources of the Faculty towards the re-accreditation of the Bachelor of Pharmacy Programme.
Sokoto State government has targeted having 1.268m eligible children in school. The drive aims at shoring up the state’s education deficits, including the shortfall in the girl-child education.
Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal has since flagged off the 2015/2016 enrolment campaign programme.
He chose to begin the exercise in Bodinga local government of the state as an embodied campaign to enhance access to basic, standard education by school age children especially the girl-child.
Tambuwal said at the ceremony that the drive would encourage uninterrupted retention, completion and sustainable transition from basic to tertiary levels.
“It will also ensure enrolment and returning children of school age which is in line with the current declaration of a state of emergency in the sector in Sokoto State,” he said.
The governor said parents would be supported with conditional cash transfer programmes by the government to ensure they allow their children attend classes.ý
Tambuwal added that the state government will deploy technology for biometric data capture of those enrolled in order to keep track of their school attendance and performance, and at the same time take steps to address constraints and challenges that may arise while they are in schools for the overall success of its objective.
UNICEF’s Chief Field Officer in Sokoto, Mohammad Mohiuddin said the enrolment campaign could not have come at a better time considering the fact that Sokoto has the highest number of primary school children that are out of school in the country, mostly girls.
According to him, the state forms part of the five states in the North currently benefiting from UK and US governments’ funded Girls Education Project phase 3.
Also, the state commissioner for basic and secondary education, Dr. Muhammad Jabbi Kilgori said the theme for the enrolment drive is ‘Catch them early, keep them long.
“The campaign will be aggressively conducted to massively register children with special focus on girl child with a view to lay solid foundation on gender balance in school”, the Commissioner said.
Aides of Senate President Bukola Saraki in Kwara State have provided materials and cash for 200 people in Ilorin East Local Government Area of the state.
The gesture, said to have cost about N3.6 million, was to help the beneficiaries start up their businesses in the council.
The event which took place at the secretariat of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Isale-Koko, was attended by the council chair, Abdullateef Okandeji and Senior Legislative Aide to the Senate President, Alhaji Saka Onimago.
One of the legislative aides for Magaji Are 1, Basambo Abubakar, who spoke with The Nation said: “We are here today to give empowerment to our people. As legislative aides to the senate president we have some responsibilities; one of such is to ensure that our people have a sense of belonging and feel the impact of the Senator Bukola Saraki. Today some people will be empowered with some amount of money to start their own businesses; others will be given educational materials.
“No fewer than 200 people will be proud beneficiaries of the empowerment scheme today. I want us to know that the empowerment is the collective efforts of all the legislative aides to Senator Bukola Saraki from Ilorin East local government area of the state. We have expended about N3.6 million on the project. Hitherto, we had splashed over a million naira on the APC ward and local government exco members.
Also, a group known as Egbe Omo Ibile Igbomina in the state has given bursary awards to 25 indigent students of Igbomina extraction in eight tertiary institutions in the state.
The group also said it has floated a-N2 million Education Endowment Fund, immediate past President, Egbe Omo Ibile Igbomina, Chief Samuel Atolagbe told The Nation shortly after handing over the cash totaling N500,000 the beneficiaries.
The group’s membership is drawn from three local government areas in Kwara state and two from Osun state.
Said Atolagbe: “We are particular about the development of our youths because they are the elders of tomorrow; and from the look of things now many of them are becoming frustrated. Frustrated in acquiring education; frustrated in seeking for employment, frustrated in realizing their ambition and we feel we should come in.
“For somebody to be admitted into the university, polytechnic and college of education and he or she is disadvantaged is not acceptable and some of these chaps are very brilliant. I happen to know much about scholarship and bursary because I was the secretary of the Kwara state scholarship board between 1977 and 1982.
“I felt you could do something for the indigent students; so I approached the youth assembly to help me find out those that are already admitted into higher institutions but are financially disadvantaged.
“For a start, we began with 25 students for the bursary award which cost us N500,000. That is what we have just celebrated today. Apart from that my executive has floated N2 million Education Endowment Fund, that means it is even more than bursary, when we have more the award can transform into full scholarship. In fullness of time we will call on people from time to time to donate to us.
“For instance, during Igbomina Day celebration last year, one of our invited guests donated about N3 million for the group; that is where we extracted the N2 million for the endowment fund.
“I therefore appeal to philanthropic-minded people to donate towards the endowment fund so that we can extend the award to our kiths and kin that occupy two local government areas in Osun state. We have covered all the three Igbomina local government areas in Kwara state, but we still have Ila-Orangun and one other local government area in Osun.”
Also speaking, President of Igbomina Youth Assembly, Shuaib Oyewole added that the students cutting across eight tertiary institutions in the state are the beneficiaries of the bursary awards.
“This is the first of the its kind organized by the assembly. The subsequent one would be enlarged to accommodate more schools and beneficiaries. All the beneficiaries are from public owned schools.”
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Malam Muhammad Bello has challenged the management of the Social Development Secretariat (SDS) to partner with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) to tackle cases of drug abuse and addiction among youths and vulnerable persons in our society.
Bello gave the challenge while being briefed at the FCT Social Development Secretariat.
He urged the Secretariat to brainstorm and find best ways of rehabilitating some of the addicts; warning that social issues must be approached with the seriousness it deserves because one social problem has multiplier negative effects on the entire society.
According to a statement issued by the Deputy Director/Chief Press Secretary, Muhammad Sule, the minister said: “You all have enormous responsibilities with serious financial challenges which desire proactive steps to effectively tackle them.
“you also have to brainstorm on how to efficiently tackle the knotty problems of street beggars, commercial sex workers as well as street hawking”.
The Minister noted that though there are problems of Master Plan abuse that has taken over plots earmarked for sporting facilities in our neighbourhoods, but something urgent must be done about it.
Bello urged the Secretariat to sit down as a team to generate database for tourism facilities because such facilities would not only provide areas of recreation and sight seeing in and around Abuja, but would equally serve as avenues of generating funds to the government.
Also speaking during the briefing, the FCT Permanent Secretariat, Dr. Babatope Ajakaiye asked Directors of the Secretariat to take drastic measures as the professionals they are, to think outside the box to move the Secretariat to enviable heights.
He warned that its not business as usual, so all officers must sit up to deliver quality services that would positively impact on the lives of the residents of the Territory.
The Acting Secretary of Social Development Secretariat, Alhaji Salisu Kallamu, revealed that there are 17 Orphanages in the Federal Capital Territory with only one directly managed by the Secretariat.
Meanwhile, the Minister also received briefs from the management of the FCT Agriculture and Rural Development Secretariat where he advised the Secretariat to get repositioned to key into the policy of the Federal Government which promotes agriculture and mass food production for the populace.
He assured the management of his Administration’s resolves to help them achieve the goals of the Federal Government in that sub-sector.
The minister encouraged them to hasten, by going into partnership with the Area Councils in order to carry the people along in all their programmes.
The Minister promised that the FCT Administration would soon pay N113 million being counterpart-fund for Fadama III in order to allow FCTA access more facilities in the programme.
The Permanent Secretary during the session also asked the Secretariat to find ways of stopping Poultry farms in residential areas because of its adverse health implication to human habitation especially now that we are battling avian influenza.
Ajakaiye urged them to continue to spur the farmers to greater heights by constantly interfacing with all stakeholders in the farming circle.
President Muhammadu Buhari in a statement last month hinted of a strong bond between him and football as he declared that football loves him.
His claim was not only based on the laurels won in the round leather game under his administrations as a military Head of State and as a civilian President, but also because of the awards that came his way for championing a leadership that supported sports.
Buhari was conferred with the Glo/Confederation of African Football (CAF) Platinum Award for Good Leadership in December.
It will not be out of place here to remind Mr. President that it is not only football that loves him but all the sporting events in the country.
Under his administration as a military Head of State, Nigeria won the maiden edition of the Under-17 World Cup in China in 1985.
Also under his administration as a civilian President in the last eight months, the country has started to receive global and continental laurels in various sporting events.
In 2015, Nigeria won the Under-17 World Cup in Chile, the Under-23 African Cup of Nations in Senegal, and Afro-Basketball Tournament in Tunisia.
Athletes in other various sporting events also won laurels for the country at major championships in the year 2015.
But different administrations over the years have handled such victorious athletes in various ways including honouring them with Presidential handshake and or monetary and other gifts.
Besides various gifts for the athletes from the Federal Government, some state governments and the private sector had also announced different gift for them, individually or collectively in the past.
Such gifts will go a long way to boost their morale and make them go all out to win more laurels for the country in the future.
It will also show that the government is not paying lip service but actually rewarding hardwork and dedication to the country.
The gifts and encouragement will also continue to spur upcoming athletes to achieve greater performances.
Indirectly, the gifts will make Nigeria never to be short of supply of talented youths that will make Nigeria second to none in all global and continental sporting events.
It is also good for the athletes to get whatever they can get out of sports while still active as there are many cases where injured and permanently disabled athletes were abandoned and left to carry their cross after sustaining the injuries.
Under former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s civilian administration, the athletes who won laurels for the country got presidential handshake, some of them also got shares and houses.
The administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan who had many laurels and achievements to show in sports handled the athletes in his own style.
Besides presidential handshakes, Jonathan timely host and announced financial and material gifts for victorious sports men and women.
Apart from elaborate presidential reception for the athletes, Jonathan also did not fail to encourage state governments and the private sector to toe the path of the Federal Government by doing something tangible for the athletes.
President Buhari, no doubt, is not new to the terrain and last week Thursday announced N2 million gift for each Golden Eaglets player that won the maiden edition of the FIFA Under-17 World Championship in China 31 years ago.
Even though he also announced various cash gifts for players and athletes who excelled in 2015, some sports analysts have noted that they were far below what similar athletes got in cash and kind, especially under the last administration of Goodluck Jonathan.
They couldn’t be far from the truth as President Buhari himself noted during the Presidential reception that the financial resources of Nigeria have been dwindling since last year.
While oil prices in the international market were mostly above $100 per barrel under Jonathan, the prices have crashed as low as $34 per barrel under Buhari.
“Hence what we are offering you today, is not payment or compensation for winning laurels for your country, rather, it is a token of appreciation for your efforts and patriotism while competing for your fatherland.” he told the athletes.
The players and athletes at the old Banquet Hall of the State House last Thursday, no doubt, understood that they would have gotten more from the government if the economy was doing well.
Even though there is need for improved funding of sporting infratructures and athletes’ training to ensure Nigeria remains at the top of global and continental competitions in sporting events, more definitely needs to be done to encourage sporting men and women to give their ‘all’ to sports.
This is not to say that the athletes should not be proud and consider themselves fortunate to be selected. And be part of those to wear the Nigeria’s green-white-green outfit at national and international competitions.
Armed Forces
Remembrance in style
The January 15th Armed Forces Remembrance Day is a day most leaders in the country often look forward to.
The annual ritual gives the leaders opportunity to honour and lay wreaths in remembrance of soldiers who have died in service in Nigeria and during international engagements abroad.
The day is also dedicated to appreciating surviving Nigerian military men who have retired from active service.
President Muhammadu Buhari, who honoured the heroes for the first time on the 15th of January, 2016 as a democratically elected President of Nigeria, did it in style.
Past Presidents normally inspect guards of honour, lay wreath, sign register, and release white pigeons before departing the National Arcade venue of the ceremony at the Three Arms Zone in Abuja.
The leaders don’t make speeches during the duration of the ceremony.
But Buhari, a fortnight ago, introduced a new dimension to the ceremony.
After releasing the white pigeons, Buhari inspected a military technology known as the Eagle Mobile Command Post where he was linked to troops at the war fronts in Borno State.
Through the technology, Buhari watched soldiers live on a device and spoke with the officers who in turn briefed him on the operation.
Even though life is now a bit better for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), they still look forward to visitors’ handouts, especially high-profile ones. Such was the case when Senator Dino Melaye showed up at the New Kuchingoro camp, reports OLUGBENGA ADANIKIN
The fear of the bloodthirsty insurgents is largely over for displaced persons. The enduring worry is usually what to eat, what to wear and when all the crisis will be over so they can safely return to their ancestral homes. Well-heeled visitors, meanwhile, have been helping with supplies, to the relief of the IDPs.
Senator Dino Melaye has just added to the charity pool.
The Chairman, Senate Committee on the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Senator Dino Melaye brought food and other daily needs to the IDPs.
It was on his birthday anniversary which he celebrated with the over 1,000 persons at the New Kuchingoro camp in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
During the visit, the lawmaker said the relief materials and celebration were to bring succour to the displaced persons.
He donated gift items such as staple foods as well as live cow to fete the victims of Boko Haram insurgency.
Melaye, who represents Kogi West Senatorial District in the Senate, was accompanied by friends and well-wishers to share the day with the IDPs.
Describing the IDPs as senior citizens of the country, he said, “My birthday this year will be a very fulfilling one, having come to you, senior citizens of Nigeria, paying a very huge sacrifice for the atrocities you know nothing about.
“I commend your efforts, I salute your resilience and indomitable spirits and I pray that all these sufferings would not be in vain. So, I am here to make these few donations to support your inhabitable situation here.”
He also pleaded with the insurgents to release the Chibok girls they abducted from their school almost a year ago.
He assured the IDPs of government’s sincerity to end insurgency such that they could return to their ancestral homes in the Northeast.
“My singular prayer is that God will restore peace in the Northeast so that all of you can return home very soon.
“I use this opportunity to appreciate the effort of President Muhammadu Buhari and the military towards ending insurgency in the region,” he added.
He advised the IDPs to co-habit peacefully, adding that the pains inflicted on the people would soon be a thing of the past.
Some of the items donated included noodles, bags of rice, cake, books and other writing materials.
A primary four pupil, Aliu Ibrahim read one of the books entitled The Fisherman and the Fish, presented by the Senator.
The children agreed to imbibe a good reading culture.
Most persons displaced by Boko Haram insurgents have had a breather. They are better looked after now. Still, some 4,723 persons fleeing from the terrorists have been largely on their own in Taraba State, apparently glossed over by the authorities. There is a glimmer of hope, though, as the Executive Secretary of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Prof. Bem Angwe visits their camps. FANEN IHYONGO reports
•Their temporary home
Just a glance at their ramshackle camps tells the story of people in excruciating destitution. It is the heartrending tale of 4,723 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) abandoned in a Taraba State camp.
They were abandoned by those who should care for them-their society-resign to their fate. They sleep on bare floors in stuffy environment; daily bitten by mosquitoes and other crawling ants. The physical and emotional traumas they go through as a result of the activities of Boko Haram insurgents in the Northeast are great burden on them. Mostly affected are women and children.
After finding their way to a relatively peaceful state after they were displaced by the insurgents from their ancestral home, they seem to experience worst form of wretchedness-abandonment.
A visit to the IDP camps by the Executive Secretary of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Bem Angwe revealed that the IDPs were in some harrowing circumstances best described as hell.
The IDPs are indigenes of Borno and Adamawa states. Their homes had come under terrorists’ attacks and to save their lives, they escaped with only the clothes they wore at the time of the attacks. Some of them had trekked several kilometers, spent some nights in the bushes before arriving at Taraba.
Until their displacement from Borno and Adamawa states, they and members of their families were happy. Their children were attending schools. At the camps in Taraba, they cannot afford food; they often fall ill and cannot afford drugs when their women give birth in the camps, let alone sending their kids to school. Majority of them have been traumatised. They are more of endangered species.
Angwe, a professor of Law, fought back tears throughout the period he inspected the IDP camps. He visited Gullong in the state capital, Jalingo and Mallum in Ardo-Kola Local Government Area. He was accompanied by the Taraba State Permanent Secretary of State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Nuvalga Dan-Habu.
At the Gullong Camp that has 259 IDPs, at the door was a woman’s wrapper which serves as a blind. Nearby, a five-year-old boy was sleeping, apparently hungry. There were no toilets in sight and the surroundings were filthy and smelly.
The leader of the Gullong IDPs Camp, Emmanuel Bulus, told The North Report that the IDPs drink from the same stream where cows, goats and chickens also drink.
“Look around and see–there is no food and water to eat and drink. I cannot talk of clothes or sending children to school. We cannot afford anything. We came here with nothing; we drink from nearby streams with animals,” he said.
He further revealed that the TY Danjuma Foundation and the State National Youths Service Corps (NYSC) secretariat once assisted them with food.
Bulus, an indigene of Borno State, lost relatives and his home to bombings and attacks by Boko Haram.
At the camps, Angwe spoke soothingly to the IDPs. But he queried the state government for abandoning the IDPs.
“These people don’t have any means; they don’t farm, they don’t have any work or business to do in order to live. So, we have a responsibility here. We need to have their record for accountability; where they are coming from. We need to know their total number, their names and ages and other necessary information about them.
“The government must put in place health facilities in the camps and carry out specific programmes to cater for the IDPs,” he said.
He expressed worry that the IDPs were dying of hunger while food items such as beans and rice were decaying in stores and the Federal Government was not informed.
“Over 4,000 people are suffering here, and the state government did not write to the Federal Government on the development.
“If IDPs are benefitting from government programmes, why can’t these ones benefit too? They are also Nigerians,” he said.
Angwe reminded the people that an indigene of Taraba State, Theophilus Danjuma, is the chairman of the committee set up by President Muhammadu Buhari to rehabilitate infrastructure and resettle the IDPs in the Northeast.
He said it was very wrong that there was no coordinating effort by SEMA for the government to take care of the IDPs.
The number of IDPs in the various camps are: Mayo Dassa (402 IDPs), Gullong (259), ATC Kofai (968), Abuja I and II (357), Dorowa/Magami/Malam Joda (579), Sabon Gari (482), Malum (872), Murtai/Yaukani/Yelwa (554), Mile Six (74), Nyabukaka/Tutan Kurma/Kasa (148) and Nukkai (30).
The human rights chief said he foresees a huge problem if the IDPs are not catered for and helped to return to their native states.
“If they stay here up to 10 years, another problem would pop up. Because they are not harmful, the communities and state government have forgotten them and their children.
“If this problem is allowed to germinate and get roots, in few years to come, it will rear a bigger problem here,” he noted.
He said he would have spoken tougher if Governor Darius Ishaku and his Deputy Haruna Manu were around.
“I am sending you to him (Ishaku) but I know you will be afraid to tell the governor exactly what I have said,” he told some state government officials.
The IDPs in Gullong are staying in an abandoned dispensary. Angwe said he will probe why the dispensary was not equipped to function.
Angwe said: “We don’t want Nigerians to depend on alms and handouts. There are funds that are meant for the benefit of these people who are suffering from displacement today. And the Federal Government is ready to assist.
“I want you, the Secretary to SEMA, to take charge of this situation; you have a responsibility now. Don’t rely on your sub-ordinates; you have to personally write letters formally to organisations informing them that these are the people you are catering for.
“The state must put in its efforts, but the Federal Government is also ready and prepared to assist. Go around and see what NEMA is doing. It has even provided security and mobile ambulances in some of the IDP camps in other states for people to be treated during emergencies.
“Send one of your SEMA staff here to be reporting to you daily. Deploy your staff to all the IDP camps in the state so that you will know whenever something happens to any of them.
“The SEMA staff should supervise the distribution of food items given in camps, because as soon as I go back, NEMA is going to send some relief materials here. The IDPs should not be integrated in such a way that they would be at the mercy of the people.
“The IDPs can be integrated in their neighbouring communities, but they must be supported, because even the communities are lacking some of the needed facilities. At worst, food should not be a problem to them.
“I am not happy because these people have been displaced, and they left their homes under circumstances beyond their wishes. They are not happy where they are; they will be happy if they return to their homes.
“The nation generally is in a sad mood regarding the plights of IDPs. It is a situation that no Nigerian is happy about. The activities of the insurgents led to many millions of Nigerians leaving their homes. Many of them crossed the borders and many of them are coming in now as returnees. But more to it, we are sadder that they are not being taken care of here.
“I came here with other agencies of government (NEMA/SEMA) that have direct responsibility. As soon as I go back, NEMA is going to respond. In fact, NEMA had not been aware of this high number of IDPs who came all the way from Borno and Adamawa states to reside in Taraba.
