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Tag: Dikwa

  • Northeast needs food intervention for 3m IDPs – UN

    The UN Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UN-OCHA) says an estimated three million displaced persons face critical food and nutrition insecurity in the northeast.

    OCHA, in its humanitarian situation report for the month of June, said no fewer than 1.7 million persons were displaced by the conflict in the region in the past nine years.

    According to the fact sheet, the number of people estimated to be facing critical food and nutrition insecurity is projected at three million, following recent assessments exercise in the area.

    It said that humanitarian actors and partners were carrying out a re-targeting exercise in Borno and Yobe to ensure that the most vulnerable people receive food assistance.

    OCHA also said: “Large-scale displacements continue to take place weekly; in the past seven months, since hostilities intensified in the northeast, more than 130,000 people have been displaced.

    “In May alone; 21, 207 people arrived in various locations. Bama, Ngala, Gwoza, Dikwa and Biu recorded the highest number of new arrivals.

    “These movements present major humanitarian challenges as resources are already overstretched in the locations where these civilians arrived.

    “Given that military operations have been announced to continue throughout the 2018 rainy season, displacement trend is likely to continue until end of August.’’

    To cope with the situation, the UN agency disclosed that it had adopted a contingency response plan for the expected high level displacement due to military operations.

    It explained that the plan aimed to provide life-saving assistance to about 115,000 IDPs, expected to move from hard-to-reach areas to key towns in Mobbar, Kukawa, Monguno, Ngala, Kala Balge, Dikwa, Bama, and Gwoza local government councils of Borno.

    “About 41.7million dollars is urgently needed to ensure sufficient preparedness and response activities to facilitate life-saving assistance for the new arrivals.

    “These include shelter and non-food items; health care, food, water and sanitation, protection and nutrition,” it said.

    The organisation revealed that it had initiated resource mobilisation efforts for the Rainy Season Contingency Plan, to support 463,000 vulnerable persons in extreme weather localities such as Bama, Damasak and Rann.

    OCHA noted that it had already commenced distribution of life-saving items including food, seeds, medicines, emergency shelter, non-food items and hygiene kits.

    The UN humanitarian body expressed satisfaction with effective response to control cholera outbreak in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe States, recorded between February and May.

    It lauded the timely response of the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) programme and government to control the disease, adding that surveillance, monitoring and hygiene promotion activities were ongoing in the affected areas.

    The document further showed that the agency had set up five humanitarian hubs in Maiduguri, Gwoza, Bama, Ngala and Dikwa while additional four others would be established in Banki, Damasak, Monguno and Rann liberated communities.

    OCHA explained that the hubs were designed with safe accommodation and internet connectivity, to enhance aid workers’ presence in the field and stimulate effective response.

    “Following an early recovery perspective, the maiden Lake Chad Basin Governors’ Forum for Regional Cooperation on Stabilisation, Peace Building and Sustainable Development was held in Maiduguri between May 7 and 8.

    “The aim was to promote continuous dialogue to strengthen coordination and collaboration on cross-border initiatives at the sub-national level around the Lake Chad Basin.

    “In preparation for the 2019 Humanitarian Needs Overview, data collection for a multi-sector needs assessment will be launched by mid-June in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe, while data analysis is expected to start in July.’’

    The organisation noted, however, that despite the generosity of donors, humanitarian response in the northeast was hampered by lack of fund for the 2018 Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP).

    “As at May 31, only 39.7 per cent of the $416.4 million total funds needed have been received, according to the funding levels reported on the Financial Tracking Service (FTS).

    “For the response to be sustainable and to avoid interruption in life-saving services, it is crucial that additional funding is urgently received across all sectors,’’ OCHA stated.

  • Shettima presents N170bn budget for 2018

    Shettima presents N170bn budget for 2018

    Gov. Kashim Shettima of Borno on Thursday presented N170.2 billion Appropriation Bill for 2018 fiscal year to the State House of Assembly.

    ‎Shettima said the bill tagged: “Budget of Resettlement and Empowerment”, was less than that of 2017 by N13. 560 billion or 7.38 per cent.

    He explained that the capital expenditure was allocated N108,408,580 billion while recurrent vote got N61,870,934 billion.

    ‎Shettima disclosed that the budget would be financed from projected Internally Generated Revenue ( IGR ) of N16,075,548 billion; allocation from the Federation Account of N115,734,194 billion, and Capital Receipt of N38,469,772 billion.

    Major highlights of the budget showed that education got the highest allocation of N27 billion.

    Breaking down the budget portfolio, Shettima said that N12.6 billion was set aside for infrastructure development and management of secondary school education, and N10.3 billion for tertiary education, while N4.4 billion for the State Universal Basic Education Board ( SUBEB ) programmes.

    Read also: 1.6m Borno IDPs benefit from UNFPA in 12 months

    The governor revealed that N22.6 billion was earmarked for construction of major roads, drainage and transport services through the State Ministry of Works and Transport.

    “N17.7 billion for healthcare infrastructure, consumables‎ and other related needs, and N9.8 billion for completion of reconstruction work of destroyed communities, rehabilitation and resettlement of victims of insurgency while N8 billion was set aside for agricultural sector,” he said.

    The governor recalled that his administration had made deliberate efforts to reconstruct and rehabilitate public structures and residential homes in the liberated communities.

    “I am happy to announce that most of the schools, health centres and residential houses in some of the local governments destroyed during the insurgency, have been reconstructed and services fully restored,” he said.

    Shettima listed Konduga, Damasak, Dikwa, Askira/Uba, Kaga and Mafa, as some of the benefiting local government areas.

    He added that the state government had returned the displaced persons to their ancestral homes in the affected areas.

    The governor said the government had also trained youths and women on various trades to build resilience and provide means of livelihood to the returnees.

    “Also, Internally Displaced Persons ( IDPs ) in Damboa, Ngala and Monguno have been safely returned to their homes, to ensure that the displaced persons engaged in productive economic activities.

    “The state government trained youths and women in skills acquisition, provided them with entrepreneurship kits and farm inputs while building materials were also distributed to some of the IDPs to enable them to rebuild their homes within the period under review,” he said.

    According to him, the state government had achieved significant feat in areas of school development, roads, hospitals, agriculture and housing development projects as well as humanitarian services.

    NAN

  • Borno free of cholera outbreak – Commissioner

    Borno free of cholera outbreak – Commissioner

    The Borno Government on Thursday declared that the state is cholera free sequel to the successful control of an outbreak of the disease.

    The state Commissioner for Health, Dr Haruna Mshelia, made this known at a news conference in Maiduguri.

    He said the state government in collaboration with World Health Organisation ( WHO ) and development partners had effectively controlled the cholera outbreak which was first recorded on August 16.

    “Today, we are more than two weeks without any case reported and this signifies that we have come to the end of this outbreak,’’ Mshelia, who was represented by Dr Muhammad Ghuluze, said.

    “The preparedness of the health cluster to respond to cholera outbreak; effective partner coordination, and swift activation of the emergency operation centre, efficient case management and surveillance were the strong points that helped disrupt transmission and reduce mortality by about one per cent,” he said.

    Read also: Cholera spreads through IDPs camps in Nigeria – UN

    Mshelia disclosed further that over 5,000 cases of the disease were recorded with 61 deaths in the six affected local government areas of the state.

    He listed the affected areas as Jere, Maiduguri, Dikwa, Monguno, Mafa and Guzamala.

    The commissioner attributed the outbreak to the weakening health system due to Boko Haram insurgency and over population at Internally Displaced Persons ( IDPs ) camps.

    According to him, the state government has inoculated 950,000 persons against the disease as part of effort to prevent future outbreak.

    Mshelia reiterated the state government commitments to enhance quality healthcare delivery in the state.
    He commended WHO and other organisations for their contributions to the improvement of healthcare services in the state.

    NAN

  • Borno vaccinates 1.6m children against measles

    Borno vaccinates 1.6m children against measles

    The Borno Government says it has inoculated 1.6 million children against measles in the past three weeks.

    The state Commissioner for Health, Dr Haruna Mshelia, said that the children were immunised under the first and second phases of the exercise.

    Mshelia explained that the first phase exercise was conducted in Borno South senatorial district and four local government areas of the central zone.

    He disclosed that the first phase exercise recorded 92 per cent coverage, while that the second phase of the immunisation exercise was conducted in the northern part of the state and the remaining four local governments of the central senatorial district.

    He said: “Collation of coverage in the second phase is on-going due to accessibility issues.’’

    The state government has also vaccinated about one million residents in a maiden cholera immunisation exercise.

    Read also: Measles: Kaduna begins immunisation of 1.5m children

    More than 950,000 doses of oral cholera vaccines were administered to people to contain outbreak of the disease in the state in the past three months.

    Oral cholera vaccines were administered to children above one-year of age and adults in Maiduguri, Konduga, Jere, Monguno and Dikwa local government areas.

    The state government in collaboration with World Health Organisation ( WHO ) and other humanitarian partners scaled up activities and successfully controlled the outbreak.

    NAN

  • No civilian killed in BH attack on WFP’s convoy – Army

    No civilian killed in BH attack on WFP’s convoy – Army

    The Nigerian Army on Monday denied the killings of civilians in an attack coordinated by the Boko Haram insurgents against the World Food Programme’s  ( WFP ) trucks on Saturday.

    Maj.-Gen. Rogers Nicholas, the Theatre Commander, Operation Lafiya Dole, gave the clarification in a Short Service Message ( SMS )

    Nicholas said that the troops escorting the trucks had killed six insurgents and recovered weapons.

    He explained that there were no civilian casualties in the attack, adding that he was at Dikwa when the incident occurred.

    “There was an ambush but the soldiers killed six Boko Haram insurgents and recovered weapons. No civilian was killed.

    “I was in Dikwa that Saturday and this happened while I was within,” Nicholas said.

    Read also: Army sentences soldier to death for killing five civilians

    However, the Wold Food Programme ( WFP ) on Sunday said a driver of its hired truck and three other persons were killed in an attack at Ngala in Gamboru-Ngala Local Government Area of Borno.

    Adedeji Ademigbuji, the Communication Associate of the WFP, said in a statement issued in Maiduguri that a convoy of the WFP’s hired trucks conveying food items were attacked by gunmen 35 kilometres South-West of Ngala on Saturday.

    He disclosed that the convoy escorted by the military were conveying foodstuff for distribution to the vulnerable Internally Displaced Persons ( IDPs ) in the area.

    He said that a driver of the hired truck, his assistant, and two other persons were killed in the attack.

    “WFP confirmed that a convoy escorted by the Nigerian Military including WFP hired trucks were subject of attack by armed groups, 35 km southwest of Ngala in Borno, on December 16.

    “Four people, including the driver of a WFP hired truck and his assistant, were killed in the incident.

    “WFP is working with the authorities to determine the whereabouts of the trucks,” Ademigbuji said.

    NAN

  • 600 households benefit from Fadama intervention scheme

    At least 600 households have benefited from the Fadama III North East special intervention project targeted at Internally Displaced Persons and host communities.

    Mrs Awotunde Bisayo, Community Action Plan (CAP) officer, Fadama III North East special intervention project, disclosed this in an interview the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Gombe on Monday.

    She said that the intervention was in the form of food items, farming inputs and distribution of ruminants to IDPs and their host communities.

    Awotunde said 52 communities were identified in Gombe state alone to benefit further from the project, adding that already, 40 households in 15 communities had benefited.

    According to her, the beneficiaries that selected farming were given seeds and other inputs, as well as food items as assistance.

    She also said that others received foodstuff, as well as livestock and feeds for rearing.

    “We were impressed by what we have seen on ground in Gombe.

    “Most of the beneficiaries we interacted with, confirmed to us that the items were given to them, and we went round and saw it physically.

    “I commend Gombe Fadama office for proper intervention; they are working in line with our aims and objectives,” she said.

    She appealed to those that their names were taken but had not benefited from the intervention to exercise patience, assuring that they would soon benefit.

    An IDP from Chibok, Miss Maimuna Yau, told NAN that she received 50 chicks with feeds, a bag of rice, beans, maize and vegetable oil.

    “We will forever remain grateful for the relief material and means of livelihood given to us by the Federal Government,” she said.

    Another beneficiary, Malam Rabiu Hassan from Dikwa in Borno, said he received food items, as well as four sheep and feeds for rearing.

     

  • FG shares bags of rice to IDPs in Cameroon, Chad, Niger

    Federal Government on Thursday disclosed that it has distributed several bags of essential food and non-food items to Nigerian Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Cameroon, Chad and Niger.

    According to a statement by the Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Laolu Akande, the distribution of the items were overseen by the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA).

    The list of food items included 12, 332 bags of parboiled rice/rice; 6, 084 bags of maize; 6,156 bags of millet; 5,180 bags of granulated sugar; 2,000 bags of salt (25kg); 800 bags of semolina; 4,016 bags of beans; 9,800 cartoons of Indomine noodles.

    Others are 1,800 cartoons of powdered milk; 800 cartoons of spaghetti; 2,000 vegetable oil (20 litres); 2,180 cartoons of Omo detergents; 600 kegs of palm oil and 400 cartoons of 3-in-1 tea.

    The non-food items supplied to the camps in the three countries from 2015 to date include medical and non-medical supplies such as antibiotics, antifungal, anti-malaria, Anthelmintic, NSAID, non-SAID Analgesics, Antitussives and Antithasmine drugs.

    Similarly, the Monthly Report Of Federal Government Actions In The North East States Affected By Boko Haram, the Senior Special Assistant on IDPs in the Vice President’s Office, Dr Mariam Masha, said that the National Humanitarian Coordination Forum (NHCF) was effectively addressing the welfare of IDPs in the areas.

    Some other items donated included “eye drops, anti-diabetic drugs, Antacid drugs, multivitamin, laboratory consumables, blankets, mattresses, mosquito nets, men’s and women’s wears.”

    The report reads: “In Minawao, Cameroon, alone, 48,400 bags and cartoons of non-food items like medium and small mattresses, pillows, mosquito nets, blankets, towels, guinea brocade, nylon mats, plastic plates, cups, spoons and buckets, Omo detergents, washing soaps, bathroom slippers, pampers as well as exercise books pencils and textbooks were distributed to IDPs.

    “Forum, partnering with critical stakeholders, establishes important intervention mechanisms to check and mitigate the incidence and negative effects of flooding on the IDPs in Borno, Yobe and Bauchi States.”

    The report also showed that the Federal Government through the initiative of the military has constructed a temporary school for IDPs in the Bama camp and deployed teachers for a population of over 3,000 children.

    The military also provided solar boreholes in Dikwa, Gamboru, Monguno, Marte, Mafe Gwoa, Buni Yadi, Bulla, Allargano and in several other communities in Borno State.

    The scale of humanitarian efforts by the military also cover road construction and reconstruction, donation of educational materials to schools as well as rehabilitation of worship centres and markets in Adamawa and Yobe States.

    The report said that the military through the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) has formed a working group which is to develop a policy framework and national action plan in preventing and countering violent extremism.

    Dr. Masha commended the commitment of the UN System for its various humanitarian and policy initiatives and noted that the World Bank organised a workshop towards developing a strategic plan which will assist the Federal Government to effectively articulate and implement its programmes for the North East.

    The World Bank and the Federal Ministry of Health are also to collaborate with the military and Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) to vaccinate children in all accessible LGAs in Borno State in support of government’s Polio Response Plan.

    The report observed that NEMA relocated a total of 23,391 IDPs from schools that were initially used as camps to new sites in Bakassi and Dalori IDP camps in Maiduguri.

    The Federal Ministry of Education provided emergency classroom supplies for learners in Borno State communities such as Konduga (675), Bama (2500), Dikwa (500), Damboa (500) and Monguno (500).

    The report also said the interventions by the Presidential Initiative for the North East (PINE) showed that displaced persons also received from PINE, various food items such as rice, millet, guinea corn, maize, iodized salt, vegetable oil and Indomie noodles which were distributed to the six frontline States of Borno, Yobe and Adamawa.

    Gombe State also received several bags of food items for the Operation Safe Corridor (OSC).

    The OSC was a programme set up by the Federal Government in its bid to war against insurgency in the North East.

    The objective of the programme was also to enhance government efforts to rehabilitate and re-integrate surrendered and repentant terrorist members in the region.

  • Troops recapture Dikwa in Borno from Boko Haram

    Troops recapture Dikwa in Borno from Boko Haram

    BARELY two weeks after the appointment of new Service Chiefs, troops have recaptured Dikwa town in Borno State from Boko Haram insurgents.

    The recapturing was attributed to concerted efforts by the Nigerian Air Force and the Nigerian Army.

    A statement last night by the military said: “A combination of the Nigerian Air Force Alpha Jet and surveillance aircraft jointly destroyed three ambush points heavily fortified with vehicle-mounted Anti-Aircraft Guns.

    “This paved the way for the Nigerian Army to move in and recapture the town with less resistance. Cordon and search operations are currently on-going in the town by the Nigerian Army.

    The Director Public Relations of the Nigerian Air Force, Air Commodore Dele Alonge, confirmed the breakthrough by troops.

    The statement said the Chief of Air Staff, Air Vice Marshal Sadique Baba Abubakar has,concluded his tour of operational units to ascertain the state of equipment and morale of troops, especially those involved in the counter-insurgency operation against Boko Haram terrorist group in North-East Nigeria.

    It added: “AVM Abubakar disclosed that the purpose of his visit was to obtain first-hand information about the operational readiness of the men and equipment with a view to enabling the NAF to re-equip and restrategize for operational efficiency and effectiveness.

    “Units visited by the CAS include 64 Air Defence Group, Makurdi; 75 Strike Group, Yola; 97 Special Operational Group, Port-Harcourt and 99 Air Combat Training Group, Kainji.”

  • Confusion over French hostages’ release

    Confusion over French hostages’ release

    …They were not released in Nigeria – JTF

    … No official confirmation that they had been freed – French minister

    Reports that seven French hostages kidnapped in Cameroon were found alive and safe in a house in northern Nigeria on Thursday are false, a Nigerian military spokesman has said.

    “It’s not true,” said Sagir Musa, spokesman for the Joint Task Force in Borno State, where the hostages were reported to have been released.

    Reports quoting French and Cameroonian officials had earlier said the hostages were rescued and  freed in Nigeria.

    “They were found abandoned in a house in Dikwa” in Nigeria, about 100km [60 miles] from the border with Niger, a senior Cameroonian officer told AFP.

    “They are in the hands of the Nigerian authorities,” the officer added.

    Reuters reports that France’s minister for veterans’ affairs told parliament the four children and three adults abducted on Tuesday had been released.

    Few minutes later he said there was no official confirmation that they had been freed.