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Tag: IDPs

  • IDPs, drug war…Worst nightmares

    The humanitarian community is renewing support for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) and waging a fierce battle against drug abuse, writes UCHE BIBILARI

    They need help. But these over 800,000 helpless people in Borno State are in areas that are inaccessible to humanitarian organisations. Their state is the epicentre of the crisis, but they live in communities hard to access.

    Humanitarian challenge, such as the one in Borno, human and drug trafficking and related crimes are major sources of worries for the humanitarian community globally.

    Following Nigeria’s attainment of independence on October 1, 1960, the country’s foreign policy has been focused on becoming a regional power in Africa.

    Its leaders at the time decided that the country would be able to achieve that by imbibing several fundamental principles.

    Such principles ranged from African unity and independence, capability to exercise hegemonic influence in the region through peaceful settlement of disputes, non-alignment and non-intentional interference in the internal affairs of other nations, as well as regional economic cooperation and development.

    To be able to carry out these principles, Nigeria made a decision to be an active participant in the African Union (AU), the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the Non-Aligned Movement, the Commonwealth of Nations, and the United Nations (UN).

    Since becoming a member of the UN, the humanitarian community has continued to renew its commitment toward fighting against human and drug trafficking and related crimes as well as providing humanitarian support to refugees and Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) banished by insurgency.

    Aids provided by the humanitarian community, such as UN Development Programme (UNDP) in Nigeria and West Africa as a whole in the past ten years and in spite of the acts of terror in the area without doubt, constitute a paradigm shift from what obtained in the past.

    Now in its ninth year, the humanitarian crisis in Northeast Nigeria remains one of the most severe in the world.

    In its report titled, “Nigeria: 2019 Humanitarian Overview’’, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) said that across the three affected states of Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe, 7.1 million people are estimated to be in need of humanitarian assistance in 2019 out of the total population of 13.4 million.

    More than 80 per cent of internally displaced people were in Borno State, the epicentre of the crisis, and more than 60 per cent were living in host communities, making it harder to access them with assistance and putting additional pressure on the already stretched resources of these communities, it said.

    According to the report, however, some 1.6 million people have returned home since Aug. 2015, indicating that conditions in some locations have improved.

    Humanitarian organisations are not able to meet all needs in the north-east; more than 800,000 people in Borno State are estimated to be in areas that are inaccessible to the organisations.

    In April 2018, humanitarian organisations developed a multi-sector Rainy Season Contingency Plan with concrete preparedness and response measures to address the expected rise in humanitarian needs resulting from: flooding of camps and towns, the damage and destruction to shelters and houses as well education and health facilities.

    The plan was also to respond to the heightened risk of waterborne disease transmission, including cholera and hepatitis E as well as the pre-positioning of life-saving items such as food, seeds, medicines, emergency shelter, non-food items and hygiene kits.

    In addition, the humanitarian community is exploring alternative transport options for humanitarian cargo movements between Ngala town and Rann, such as the use of canoes.

    The counter-insurgency measures carried out by the Nigerian military and their regional partners have improved access to new areas.

    The government also announced plans to relocate tens of thousands of IDPs from Maiduguri to Bama where rehabilitation of public and private infrastructure is underway. On April 2, 3,070 women, children and men were relocated.

    The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), International Organisation for Migration (IOM), and Heartland Alliance International (HAI) also provided support services in the form of training of 75 protection actors from government agencies, civil society organisations, and humanitarian organisations working in the Northeast Nigeria in a bid to tackle trafficking in persons in crisis situations.

    The actors reaffirmed their commitment to not only promote the fight against drug trafficking and other related crimes, but to make them become things of the past.

    According to them, such commitments have become necessary given the “horrific dimensions’’ of the rising cases of human trafficking, with sexual exploitation of victims being the main driver.

    Available data indicate that children account for 30 per cent of those being trafficked, and far more girls are detected than boys globally.

    Stabilisation, provision of aid to refugees, and victims of insurgency especially in the Northeast are some of the other humanitarian assistance provided by the actors as relief.

    The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Country Representative in Nigeria, Mr Oliver Stolpe, at a humanitarian project steering and coordination committee meeting in Abuja, pledged that the office would redouble efforts aimed at tackling drug trafficking and crime in the sub-region.

    The meeting was a European Union (EU)-funded project, with the theme, “Support to ECOWAS regional action plan on illicit drug trafficking, related organised crime and drug Abuse.”

    Stolpe said: “This is not the end of the road only the closing of a chapter and the opening of a new one.

    “UNODC will remain at the service of Nigeria and other ECOWAS member states in the implementation of their respective National Drug Control Master Plans, to address the multiple threats posed by illicit drugs trafficking.”

    Also, the Head of Co-operation of EU, Mr Kurt Cornelis, promised to ensure that humanitarian projects were sustained to achieve targets over transnational border crime in the sub-region.

    According to him, the fight against transnational organised crime remains a priority and of mutual interest to Nigeria, Africa, and EU.

    Dr. Siga Fatima Jagne, the Commissioner for Social Affairs and Gender at the ECOWAS Commission, reaffirmed the commission’s commitment to carrying out action plans against drug trafficking and related crimes.

    Jagne, who was represented by Mr Mohammed Ibrahim, Head of ECOWAS Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Risk Destruction at a humanitarian project meeting in Abuja, assured of the sub-regional body’s commitment to dealing with organised crime.

    She said that the Commission had received 90 per cent of the total grant money amounting 2.929 million euros, adding that out of the sum 2.455 million euros, representing 84 per cent, was spent on humanitarian projects.

    She also said that the remaining balance of about 16 per cent had been earmarked for auditing and other activities that would last until Nov. 16.

    According to her, ECOWAS remains committed to building on what it has achieved so.

    Meanwhile, the UNDP in Nigeria had, in a bid to assist Nigeria, inaugurated the Regional Stabilisation Facility which was anchored within the Regional Stabilisation Strategy (RSS) for Lake Chad, a ground-breaking initiative led by the Lake Chad Basin Commission (LCBC) and adopted by its member states in August 2018.

    This initiative, an ambitious multi-million dollar fund to scale up the range of stabilisation intervention in areas of Lake Chad Basin, was inaugurated in July 2019 in Niamey, Niger at the second Governors Forum.

    The Facility, which began operating on September 1 is expected to run for two years in the eight affected regions of the 4 riparian countries (Cameroun, Chad, Niger, and Nigeria) and will serve as a rapid response mechanism to help the local authorities curtail the ability of Boko Haram insurgency by restoring and extending effective civilian security. It is also to help improve the delivery of basic services and livelihoods.

    Accordingly, the UNDP, Resident Representative in Nigeria, Mr Mohamed Yahaya during the first inaugural meeting of the ‘Nigerian window’, said Nigeria would receive more than 30 million dollars from a total of 100 million dollars set aside for the facility in the four countries facing insurgency.

    For Nigeria, the Facility is expected to facilitate recovery and stabilisation interventions including livelihood support for communities, massive civil engineering works, and strengthening of local security structure in the North eastern states affected. It is expected to run for two years.

    • Bibilari is of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

     

  • IDPs: we’re tired of Abuja

    It seems strange because of their circumstances, but the saying that ‘no place is like home’ still rings true for the displaced persons living in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital city. Shorn of the comforts of their homes in towns and villages across security-challenged states of Borno and Yobe, one would assume that the glitter of Abuja would be alluring enough to inspire a longing for continuous stay but that is not the case with the thousands of internally-displaced persons (IDPs) living on the fringes of the city.

    Speaking with Abuja Review during the humanitarian outreach of the Abuja-based International Centre for Islamic Culture and Education (ICICE) to his Area 1 IDP camp – one of several such camps around Abuja, Mr. Idris Ibrahim Halilu, the Coordinator and spokesman of all IDPs in the Federal Capital Territory stressed that the exposure to health challenges alone represents a serious threat that moulds lesser challenges such as poor nutrition and homelessness, into burdens of Sisyphean magnitude.

    “I can assure you that ninety-five percent of IDPs here in Abuja want to go home; we find the humanitarian outreach of the ICICE most impressive, since we cannot afford to access hospital services in Abuja, we are more than happy with the free medical diagnosis and treatment brought to us, we excited because it is a rare event,” he stated.

    More than three thousand IDPs live in the camp.

    Read Also: Red Cross not involved in distribution of items to Katsina IDPs

    According to Idris Halilu, a former public relations executive whose home and family in Borno state had virtually been eviscerated by Boko Haram terrorists, ongoing insurgents’ attacks and the international dimension of the prolonged threat make it difficult for IDPs from the affected areas to return home.

    “Parts of Borno and Yobe states remain no-go areas, the government is trying but let us not pretend about the problem. The insurgency in the North East is a special challenge because of the terrain – mountainous areas, rivers and borders with different countries. We hope that the international community will give government further support but there are neighbouring countries that we seemed to have offended decades ago when Nigeria supported their past leadership and people have suspicion that they have now chosen to pay us back,” he said. With excellent diction that tells the story of how misfortune can befall virtually anyone, he tells the sad story of his life. Born in Shani local government of Borno state, he attended teachers’ college in Gombe and the University of Somalia. “I did postgraduate studies at Al-Hari University, Cairo and did external courses in journalism and I was a pioneer production staff of NTA in 1975. After that, I went into Public Relations for about 17 years worked with some companies as Public Relations director. In 2005, I retired, went home and got confronted by an insurgency I had seen coming. I had seen it coming and was warning since as far back as 1997,” said Idris Ibrahim Halilu.

    At the Area 1 IDP camp in Durumi area on the peripheries of Abuja, the two-room school closed down about one and half years ago because of lack of teachers, water is still a big challenge with the use of only one borehole and maximal utilization of IDPs’ proximity to a stream known for very unhygienic water. Most of the population defecates in the surrounding bushes, adding to the load of infectious diseases in the air around the camp.

    Dr. Amina Kumalia, head of the ICICE medical team from Al Nur mosque in Abuja was in charge of the medical outreach to the IDP camp.

    “As you can see, we have a lot of patients, mostly women and children; many men in the camp have gone out to find something for their families. Here, like most of our other outreaches, the prevalent health challenges are malaria and peptic ulcer.

    “In children, we also have upper respiratory tract infection, skin infections and cases of diarrhoea; most of the children are lethargic and weak. Thus far, we do not have significant cases of hypertension and diabetes.

    “Upper respiratory tract infection in children is overwhelming. Once children have untreated URT infection and they stay together, re-infection continues and may never leave them. As you can see, the surroundings also contribute to incidences of URT infection. The environment is very dirty. We need the help of AEPB to come and sort things out because of the adverse health effects here,” Dr. Kumalia stated.

    Drawn together by a common misery, the IDP population in Abuja, including those at the Area 1 IDP camp sees no need to discriminate on the ‘usual’ basis of creed or tribe. The ICICE, an Islamic humanitarian initiative too, discriminates against none, registering, diagnosing and giving medical assistance and pharmaceutical supplies to all found to be in need. “We are humbly undertaking a service to humanity; every needy person that we can help is freely entitled to our assistance and resources,” ICICE’s Director-General, Dr.Kabir Kabo Usman said.

    Explaining further, Alhaji Garba Sani who was a financial consultant I the UK for more than twenty years before returning home and volunteering his services as ICICE’s Director of External Relations, Research and Consultancy, explains further.

    “We chose this camp because we haven’t been here before for medical or any other type of outreach; secondly, we recognised after discussing with them that they have never had this kind of visit in all the years they have been here – definitely not at this scale. The population is about 3, 016 men, women, children living here and it warrants attention; with that sort of number, we had to prepare more than other previous outreach assignments.

    “The health outreach, including deworming is open to all of them, according to their (medical) needs. We at Al Nur Mosque International Centre For Islamic Culture and Education always appeal to individuals, non-governmental organizations and others to come and support humanitarian initiatives like these because we cannot leave everything, especially the challenges facing IDPs to the government,” he stated.

  • IDPs’ plight

    News that over 1,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) in their Taraba State camp highlighted the condition of the IDPs as well as the conditions in the camp. The number of internal refugees said to have malaria shows that the camp is also home to mosquitoes. The picture of such a large number of IDPs experiencing periodic attacks of chills and fever is troubling indeed.

    The camp used to be a primary school. Now it is home to internal refugees from 11 villages: Murbai, Kershaba, Yerwai Abare, Jokumbo I and II, Banibu, Jen Betel, Jaagbegh, Koko Uban, Wururoo, Yukani and Koudat. According to the camp coordinator, Mr Danlami Kwambo, the 3,149 IDPs in the camp lack potable water, food and bedding, which makes them vulnerable to various health problems.

    No fewer than 48 women in the Nukkai primary school camp are said to be pregnant, and four others were recently delivered of babies. An internal  refugee in the camp was quoted as saying: “Some of us have newborn babies; they are being exposed to mosquitoes. One of us has to stay awake to keep watch over the children.” It is alarming that pregnant women and infants are also exposed to the camp’s undesirable conditions.

    IDP camps are supposed to cushion the blow of displacement. Immediate basic needs, meaning food, water, shelter, clothing, sanitation and healthcare, should not be problematic in camps that exist to meet the needs of internal refugees.

    Sadly, basic needs remain problems in IDP camps. In February, for instance, IDPs at Teachers Village Camp in Maiduguri, Borno State, took to the streets to protest food shortage in their camp. The Teachers Village Camp is one of the largest, with about 20,000 displaced persons. IDPs don’t expect to experience starvation in their camps. So the protest wasn’t surprising.

    The protesters, mostly women and children from Baga, Kukawa and Monguno, blocked the Maiduguri-Kano Road and caused a gridlock. They complained that they had been neglected by the government. “It took the intervention of officials of the Mobile Police to bring the situation under control. The policemen dispersed the protesters when they reportedly fired canisters of tear gas at them,” a report said.

    According to the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre, in 2018, 541,000 new displacements were recorded, 200,000 of which were caused by the Boko Haram insurgency in the North-East. The centre said: “In the Middle Belt region, competition between pastoralists and farmers has caused tensions, culminating in significant levels of violence and displacement. About 2.2 million people remained displaced due to these conflicts as of the end of the year.” It also stated: “Flooding displaces thousands of people every year. Flooding affected 80 per cent of the country last year and triggered most of the 613,000 new displacements recorded.”

    In Taraba State, where the large-scale malaria attack in an IDP camp was reported, 138 displacements were recorded between June 22 and 25, as a result of destroyed housing. Thirty-two houses were burnt down in an armed attack by Tiv militias in Tsondi.

    As the number of IDPs increases, the challenge of providing their basic needs also escalates. The authorities must address not only the conditions in IDP camps, but also the factors that create IDPs.

    It is likely that there are exploiters and beneficiaries of the country’s internal refugee crisis. Those who corruptly divert funds and materials meant for internal refugee camps should be apprehended and punished.

    IDPs are not supposed to be perpetually displaced. This means that the authorities must pursue the goal of getting them to return to their original communities, and rehabilitating them.

  • Hollandia Foundation donates dairy products to IDPs

    In a bid to alleviate child hunger and malnutrition in Nigeria, Hollandia, the leading dairy brand from the stables of CHI Limited, recently donated dairy products to more than 500 children at the Bogije Internally Displaced Person’s (IDP) camp in Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos State.

    Speaking during the visit, the Managing Director CHI Ltd, Mr. Deepanjan Roy, represented by the Head of Administration, Mr Ebere Osunkwo, said the donation was to address hunger and malnutrition among underprivileged children.

    “Many children have found themselves in certain adverse conditions due to no fault of theirs. When you think of these children in the IDP camps, you can imagine how many go to bed hungry every single night. Even when they get to eat, how nutritious is the food they consume? So we thought to ourselves, what better way to identify with them than on their day. This is why we chose to put smiles on their faces,” he said.

    He added that the Bogije IDP camp visit marked a notable milestone in the Foundation’s drive towards alleviating child hunger and malnutrition.

    Responding on behalf of the community, Chief Tajudeen Oniwolu, the Baale of the Bogije Oniwolu Estate, thanked the foundation.

  • NGO lifts 2,400 IDPs, orphans in Kaduna

    A Kaduna-based Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), Arrida Relief Foundation, has distributed foodstuff to 2,400 people, including the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), orphans, People Living With Disabilities and People Living With HIV/AIDS.

    Presenting the items, the founder of the foundation, Hajia Rabi Salisu Ibrahim, said the donation is aimed at alleviating the suffering of the less privileged.

    She said the foundation which started in 2002 as her family’s way of reaching out to the needy, is now getting relief materials from bigger organisations like the Sultanate Council and the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) for onward distribution to the less privileged.

    She said: “What we just witnessed today is the opening of our Ramadan lecture and reach out to the needy in our society. This is the 9th edition of the programme and after today, we will be going from one community to the other. We will go to Rigasa, Ungwar Dosa and others.

    “I started this foundation with my husband, with just five bags of rice. But, today we distribute up to a trailer of rice. This is because we now get support from organisations like the NCS, the Sultanate Council and Kaduna State Government.

    “Today, we have given foodstuff like, rice, vegetable oil, clothes and mosquito coil to 2,400 people. Initially, we packaged for 2,000 people, but we got about 400 extra people.”

  • HELP! WE’RE DYING IN SILENCE!

    The more than 3,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Geo-science Hall in Angle-D, Jos, Plateau State, are crying out to care givers to help them as they allege being abandoned to their fate by the the state government, YUSUFU AMINU IDEGU writes.

    As far back as November, last year, the more than 3,000 internally displaced persons taking refuge at the Geo-science Hall in Angle-D had pleaded with the Plateau State Government to relocate them back to their ancestral home. The IDPs particularly pleaded with the government and the security agencies not to allow them spend Christmas at the camp.

    But the IDPs could not have their prayers answered. They did not only spend Christmas at the camp against their wishes, they have remained in the camp till date. In fact, the IDPs appeared to have lost hope of freedom from the camp. And to worsen their conditions in the camp, government has allegedly stopped giving them any form of relief. Not even food or other social amenities.

    Towards the end of last year, the state government set up a committee for the resettlement of the IDPs. Shortly after the committee submitted its report, the special task force, code named Operation Safe Haven (OPSH), came up with a time table for the relocation of the IDPs back to their homes. As a matter of fact, the OPSH Commander, Maj-Gen. Augustine Agundu, emphasised the fact that the camps would be closed formally by the end of April when the IDPs would have been returned to their various homes.

    From the time table released by General Agundu, the IDPs were broken into three categories according to the severity of their conditions. Those who fled their homes out of fear were the first to be returned home with adequate security because their houses were not destroyed during the attacks.

    The second category are those whose houses were partially destroyed. Such victims will be assisted by the government with little resources to rebuild their houses and for them to return home comfortably. The third and last category are those whose houses were completely destroyed and so have no roof to call their own. Those in that category, according to government, will experience delay because it would require government to reconstruct their houses completely before they return home.

    Government indeed raised the hopes of the victims when they fulfilled their promises by relocating the first set of IDPs back to their homes in December, last year, talking of those who left their homes out of fear and still had their houses standing. However, it was learnt that the second and the last categories of IDPs have not been that lucky as they have remained in the camp without any hope of freedom.

    One of them, Iliya Pam, said: “The government we called our own has abandoned us in the camp. By the promise they made to us in December, last year, all of us would have been out of this camp by the end of March 2019. But we are still here with no hope.”

    A 65-year-old woman, Esther Choji, said: “Our main problem is not just the failure of government to return us home as they promised. The government has completely abandoned us. They no longer provide us with food or any form of relief materials”

    From the last count, the IDPs have spent the last 10 months at the camp.

    Dalyop Maina said: “Government keeps claiming they have returned all IDPs home, but only about 500 of us were returned home in December, last year. There are still more than 3,000 of us in this camp. Government keeps  claiming that they moved us back home, and we keep suffering in silence at the camp.”

    Some of the IDPs believe that government abandoned them because of the 2019 elections.

    All the efforts made to get the OPSH Commander, General Agundu, was not successful. His media officer, Major Umar Adams, was said to have been transferred from the command.

    However, one of the key partners in the IDPs resettlement, who is the Chairman of Civil-Military Relations, Chief Chuwang Rwang Pam, said the government and the OPSH had not reneged on their promises and timeline to relocate the IDPs.

    He said: “The time we gave has not expired, and we are running round the clock to make sure we offer the best for the IDPs. The IDPs rehabilitation programme is a collaboration among various organisations like the OPSH, NGOs, Chief of Army Staff and the Plateau State Government. I don’t think these groups will fail in this task. We are working out the timeline, and, remember, the project is in phases.”

    Notwithstanding the thinking of government, the IDPs are not finding life easy at the camp.

    “We have no food to cook in the camp anymore. We now go out to beg for food and only come back to the camp to sleep. We go out to beg for what to eat and bring some for our children in the camp. This is not how life should be. We can’t be suffering in our own state like this,” said Musa Rhoda.

  • IMF worries over rise in internally displaced persons in Nigeria, others

    the International Monetary Fund (IMF) says it is concerned with the rising numbers of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs)  in Nigeria and other Sub-Saharan African countries.

    The IMF said this on Friday in Washington DC in its latest Regional Economic Outlook for sub-Saharan Africa report presented by Director of the IMF’s African Department, Mr Abebe Selassie.

    According to the IMF,  the current number of internally displaced persons in the region is five times higher than it was 20 years ago.

    Figures from the report showed that the number of IDPs in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is 4.4 million people, South Sudan 1.9 million and Nigeria 1.7 million.

    Selassie said that economic growth in the Sub-Saharan region was expected to increase from three per cent in 2018 to 3.5 per cent in 2019.

    “Some 21 countries, mainly the region’s more diversified economies, are expected to grow at more than five per cent and see income per capita rise faster than the rest of the world on average over the medium term.

    “However, the remaining countries, comprising mostly resource intensive countries, including the largest, Nigeria and South Africa, are expected to see slower improvements in standards of living.

    “Overall, sub-Saharan African countries need to strike a delicate policy balance between containing public debt levels, investing in human and physical capital and raising revenue.

    “This calls for urgent action on the fiscal front to improve tax revenue collection, public financial management and spending efficiency.

    “On the trade front, countries should reduce non-tariff barriers and deepen intra-trade integration including in the context of the African Continental Free Trade Area,” Selassie said.

    According to the report, growth in Nigeria was 1.9 per cent in 2018 and is expected to reach 2.1 per cent in 2019, driven by recovering oil production and a pickup in the non-oil economy in the aftermath of the election.

    However, the near-term outlook remains subdued as a result of lower oil prices, which have large spillover effects, including to the non-oil sector over the medium term. (NAN)

  • CSOs to govts: IDPs suffering

    Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in the Northeast have enjoined the state governments in the sub region as well as the Federal Government to take immediate measures to curb the suffering and indignities of internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the region.

    They made the appeal in Yola where their representatives from Adamawa, Yobe and Borno states attended a symposium facilitated by the Norwegian Refugees Council.

    The CSOs stated the Federal Government would go far in addressing the needs of IDPs by domesticating the Kampala Convention which makes provisions for the welfare of IDPs.

    “Welfare of IDPs in camps across the country is low, with government leaving much of the responsibility to nongovernmental organisations and public-spirited individuals,” they stated.

    An IDP in one of the camps, said: “It is good for NGOs to donate rice, carton of noodles, blanket, mosquito net, bags of cloth but there are other things that can transform lives of IDPs permanently. It is so sad that the government has ignored us.”

    READ ALSO: Civil society groups’ role in credible polls, by Oyebode, others

    The representatives of the CSOs, who attended the Norwegian Refugee Council protection symposium in Yola, said in a communiqué:  “Domestication of the Kampala Convention is critical and urgent in order to encourage authorities to be responsible in situations where the rights of IDPs are deprived.”

    The Kampala Convention, otherwise named African Union Convention for the Protection and Assistance of Internally Displaced Persons in Africa was adopted by a special summit of the African Union in Kampala, Uganda, on October 22, 2009.

    It came into force on December 6, 2012 but it has not been domesticated in Nigeria.

    The CSOs consider the development a big loss to IDPs as some of the rules in the convention, such as those on safe and voluntary return, and access to compensation, would radically change the fortunes of IDPs.

    In their communiqué read to journalists by a leader of the representatives of the CSOs, Abdulaziz Mala, they also appealed to government to respect all relevant sections of the Nigerian constitution and other laws, including the Child Rights Act, to fulfill the rights of IDPs.

  • Polls: Displaced residents urge INEC to provide alternative voting venue

    The displaced people of Peremabiri, a coastal settlement in Bayelsa, have urged the Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC ) to provide alternative voting venue to enable them exercise their franchise.

    The News Agency of Nigeria reports that hundred of the displaced persons led by their traditional ruler, Chief Progress Neverdie, submitted a petition to the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Mr Monday Udoh.

    Addressing officials at INEC’s headquarters in Yenagoa, Neverdie said that no fewer than 3,000 adults had fled Peremabiri to Yenagoa and neigbouring communities over threats to their lives my militants.

    He said that under the prevailing circumstances, it would be impossible for INEC to conduct elections in the area as the place was not conducive for political activities.

    “The reason we are here today is to bring to the attention of INEC the situation in Peremabiri, the community has been deserted following insecurity created by an ex-militant leader from Peremabiri.

    “People are not free to go about their normal businesses and because of the violence they (militants) unleash on innocent people.

    “The place is like a ghost town; we do not want to be disenfranchised on Feb. 16 and March 2 elections.

    “That is why we are here with a written request that alternative arrangements be made for my subjects to vote.

    “I am conversant with the provisions of the law to pave way for displaced persons to vote.

    “It is our hope that there is a window of opportunity for INEC to act so that my community people can exercise their civic responsibilities in the forth coming elections,” Neverdie said.

    Also, Mrs Polomi Suanaimi, the Vice Chairman of Southern Ijaw Local Government, said the council was making concerted efforts on the welfare of over 2,000 displaced persons currently in makeshift shelters.

    She said that both the local government and traditional institutions had resolved to wade into the crises so that the people could participate in the electoral process.

    However, Mr Lebai Samsi, Administrative Secretary of INEC in Bayelsa told members of the community, who carried placards in a protest march to the office that security was beyond the commission.

    He, therefore, urged them to report the situation to the police and other security agencies, adding that INEC relied on the law enforcement agencies to do its job of conducting elections.

    Samsi reassured that INEC remained committed to the conduct of free and fair credible polls on Feb 16 and March 2.

  • Over 30, 000 fresh IDPs arrive Maiduguri – UN

    Over 30,000 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) have arrived Maiduguri, capital of Borno State in recent weeks following the resurgence of Boko Haram attacks, the United Nation has declared.

    Its head of United Nation Humanitarian activities in Nigeria, Mr. Edward Kallon stated this on Thursday.

    He expressed concerns over the fresh upsurge of displaced people in the last few weeks following renewed attacks.

    “More than 30,000 internally displaced people have arrived in Maiduguri, mainly from Baga in recent weeks.

    “The majority of these people have arrived since 20 December 2018, often after arduous journeys with young children.

    “This includes an estimated 20,000 internally displaced people who have arrived in Teachers Village camp in Maiduguri, stretching the camp’s capacity beyond the limit.

    “It is still unclear how many people are taking refuge in Monguno but tens of thousands of people are in need of humanitarian assistance, notably shelter, food, water and sanitation,” he said.

    Read Also: Ex-militants raise the alarm over stockpiling of arms

    Kallon spoke after a fact- finding visit to Monguno, teachers village IDP camp in Maiduguri.

    He regretted the violence has caused tens of thousands of innocent civilians to flee their homes.

    “The impact of the recent fighting on innocent civilians is devastating and has created a humanitarian tragedy

    “It is heart-wrenching to see so many of these people living in congested camps, or sleeping outside with no shelter.

    “Civilians continue to bear the brunt of the conflict and the United Nations is extremely concerned about the impact that violence in north-east Nigeria, especially in Borno State, is having on civilians, Kallon added.

    He also expressed fears over huge withdrawal of humanitarian aid workers from the affected locations, describing it as the highest withdrawals ever since 2016.

    According to him: “Some 260 aid workers have been withdrawn from three local government areas (Monguno, Kala/Balge and Kukawa) affected by the conflict since November, affecting the delivery of humanitarian assistance to hundreds of thousands of people.

    “This is the largest withdrawal of aid workers since the international humanitarian response scaled up in 2016.

    “While aid workers have started to return to some areas to respond to the urgent, life-saving needs, the lack of a secure operating environment is preventing a return to normal humanitarian activities.”