The Nation Newspaper

Tag: IDPs

  • 30 IDPs get admission

    30 IDPs get admission

    Thirty Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) from the Northeast, camped at International Christian Centre for Missions (ICCM), have secured admission to tertiary institutions in the last one year.

    The Director, Mr. Solomon Folorunsho, told News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) yesterday at Ohogua, near Benin, in Ovia North East Local Government of Edo State that about 250 of the IDPs were registered for external examinations in  the 2018 session.

    He said: “A lot have been achieved since they came to this camp about six years ago. I recalled that most of them could hardly communicate in English, but the reverse is the case now.

    “I see determination and eagerness to learn in these children and we are assisting them.

    “They believe in their country and also believe that the ugly incident, which happened to them, is an opportunity for them to be in a place where they can get what probably they wouldn’t have got over there.

    “They are grabbing the opportunities with both hands. They want to get to the height of all that is good here for the benefit of their people back at home.

    “As I speak with you, we have over 30 of them studying courses, such as Communication Engineering, Nursing, Biochemistry and Environmental Sciences in universities, such as Edo University, Iyamoh; University of Maiduguri; University of Benin, among others.

    “We have three of them who wanted to study Medicine, but were given alternative courses.

    “They wanted Medicine because they felt they needed it to go back home to their community and help as doctors.

    “Although they have accepted the courses offered them, they are still determined to study Medicine.”

    Folorunsho, who spoke on the challenge of funding IDPs’ education, said it cost an average of N5 million to get the children registered for external examinations annually.

  • For the love of IDPs

    For the love of IDPs

    A group, Bunmi Cares Initiative, soothes the pain of persons displaced by Boko Haram by sending clothing items on Valentine’s Day.

    The cruelty of Boko Haram may never wane in a lifetime. The bloodthirsty group rampaged through the Northeast, murdering people in cold blood. Survivors fled wherever they could, seeking safety. Most are camped in makeshift shelters without basic necessities of life. The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) accomodates a good number of these survivors who largely depend on charity.

    Last year, Bunmi Cares Initiative (BCI), a non-governmental organisation (NGO), donated clothing items to the Kuchigoro IDP camps in Abuja.

    This year, on Valentine’s Day,  BCI repeated the gesture, taking clothing materials to the IDP camp at Area 1.

    Convener of the initiative, Olubunmi Adegbolu said, “We are celebrating Valentine with Nigerians who are victims of insurgency, we are here to remind them that they are loved, irrespective of their circumstances, the success of our drive in 2016 and 2017 led to this year’s outing.

    “Nigerians were reminded of the fact that the clothes you think are not good for you or when you decide to change your wardrobe and have difficulty disposing of the old clothes, this drive helps people give such clothing to people who really need it, I know that we can help and clothe ourselves in this nation by helping each other.

    “To get the clothes, we move around Abuja, put it up on social media, we solicit for assistance from people, they give us the clothing, we dryclean and package it, we have people who donated new clothing and shoes, we are praying to have a location where people can drive to and drop them any day and time. So today we brought clothes for children and adults, food items, household items, shoes, bags, curtains, blankets.

    “This is not the only programme by the initiative, we have the skills acquisition training for secondary school students and we have been able to train over 800 students on catering mostly and we have been able to establish about fifteen of them.”

    Hon. Olatoye  Shobowale Sugar, Lagelu Akinyele Federal Constituency Ibadan, Oyo State and Chairman Urban Development and Regional Planning, House of Representatives stated, “People displaced by insurgency where not born in the circumstance but are victims that need to be assisted by all Nigerians and not just the government but people can add value to their lives by bringing whatever we have. Coming here and seeing their way this people are living forces one to say that NEMA is honestly not living up to expectation, they are trying but not enough, so all hands must be on deck to assist this people.”

    Coordinator of the camp Idris Ibrahim-Halilu lamented the fact that a lot of them have died from lack of care.

    He said, “I am happy about this because in December I lost everything I had to fire, so Bunmi Care Initiative came in handy today and we are very happy. If hundreds of Nigerians, for instance, will take it upon themselves to help us, it will go a long way because presently we have been stigmatised, no food, no medical care from any quarters except the national hospital that has been very kind to us.

    “NEMA has been here only on three occasions within the past four years and FEMA that carters for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) came here last in October 2015 where they brought us five cartons of mosquito coils, we go to them and they send us away, a lot of us have died, it is only the National Hospital that takes pity on us.”

     

  • Police arrest 10 suspects for burning IDPs houses in Nasarawa

    Police arrest 10 suspects for burning IDPs houses in Nasarawa

    The Nasarawa State Police Command has arrested 10 people for allegedly setting ablaze the houses deserted by the Internally Displaced Persons (IPDs) in Nasarawa and Benue border towns.

    The state Police Public Relations Officer, Idirisu Kennedy, stated this on Saturday while addressing journalists at the command headquarters in Lafia.

    He said some of the suspects arrested in connection with the incident turned out to be of the same tribal extraction with their victims.

    He said on February 11, one Nicholas Alua and three others, who are all Tiv people, were arrested for burning houses of their Tiv brothers at Farin Ruwa 1, Obi local government area of the state.

    He added that one Ijakeni Uhon of Gidan Nguinyi was arrested for setting fire on 25 houses belonging to some Tiv people at Gidan Wakili.

    NAN

  • UNICEF, WHO to vaccinate over 2 million children in Borno, Yobe

    UNICEF, WHO to vaccinate over 2 million children in Borno, Yobe

    Over two million children are expected to be vaccinated against the children killer diseases within Borno and Yobe with the support of WHO, UNICEF and other development partners working in the states.

    In Borno State, the State Ministry of Health with the development partnership is to vaccinate more than 1.2 million internally displaced persons (IDPs) across 57 wards in 25 Local Government Areas in Borno State, while Yobe State is to vaccinate a total of 771,778 children between the ages of 1-6 years against Cerecbro Spinal Meningitis.

    According to Dr. Chima Onuekwe, Health Communication/Promotion Officer WHO, more than 3,000 WHO-trained volunteers, including senior supervisors, monitors, healthcare workers and community leaders, will immunize1.2 million IDPs aged from 9 months to 45 years at designated health facilities. The campaign began on 5 February, and is expected to continue until14 February.

    Dr. Chima was also quoted as saying that, UNICEF supported the Borno State Government with logistics for vaccine distribution and social mobilization. Through the deployment of over 2,000 community volunteers and key influencers, UNICEF enhanced community engagement for yellow fever preventive vaccination and ensured that community is aware of the campaign and yellow fever risks.

    “If we miss out on children of Borno, often living in very difficult conditions, we deprive large number of children of lifesaving vaccines. It is not only their right but our collective duty to ensure that they survive and thrive,” said Mohammed Fall, UNICEF Nigeria Representative.

    To ensure a high-quality campaign, WHO worked with the Borno State Ministry of Health to coordinate and facilitate the training of healthcare workers at all levels, arrange logistics for vaccine distribution and deliver messages on health risks to communities.

    “Although Borno State has not reported an outbreak of yellow fever this year, vaccinating internally displaced persons is an exercise of high public health importance to protect most-at-risk populations living in high-risk conditions and prevent the spread of yellow fever, if an outbreak occurs,” said Dr. Wondimagegnehu Alemu, WHO Nigeria Representative.

     

    The Borno State Honourable Commissioner for Health, Dr. Haruna Mshelia, emphasized the   importance of vaccinating IDPs in camps and host communities.

    “The vulnerable living conditions of millions of people in Borno State and the tide of outbreaks across 16 States in Nigeria make it imperative to target the most-at-risk people with yellow fever vaccination in the State.”

    These efforts are part of a larger yellow fever vaccination campaign that seeks to vaccinate more than 25 million people throughout 2018, in the largest yellow fever vaccination drive in Nigeria’s history. This fits into a wider public health goal to eliminate yellow fever epidemics globally by 2026 through the Eliminate Yellow fever Epidemics (EYE) Strategy, steered by WHO, Gavi and UNICEF.

    In Yobe State, the state is embarking on a massive vaccination and enlightenment   campaign against Cerecbro Spinal Meningitis as the heat period sets.

    The commissioner of Health in the State Dr. Bello Kawuwa said a total of “771,778 children would be vaccinated”, adding that, “it will be conducted at health centres and designated fixed posts. The exercise is staggered into two phases; the first phase which encompasses 8 LGAs begins today, Wednesday 7th to 11th of February 2018, while the second phase in 9 LGAs commences on 14th , 10th , 18th of February 2018”.

    Dr. Kawuwa also disclosed that Yobe is the only state that secured a golden opportunity to implement the MenAfric vaccination campaign across all her local Government Areas, stressing that, “some states are implementing outbreak response only in the most affected LGAs”.

    He urged parents and caregivers to ensure that all children of the age category are immunized regardless of their immunization status.

     

  • Update: 5 dead, 39 injured in Maiduguri multiple explosions

    Update: 5 dead, 39 injured in Maiduguri multiple explosions

    Five persons have been confirmed dead as suicide bombers suspected to be Boko Haram members attacked the Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs, camp in Dalori, Borno state on Wednesday.

    The Borno State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) chairman, Satomi Ahmad confirming the incident to newsmen in Maiduguri said five IDPs members and 39 others sustained various degrees of injuries in the suicide bomb attack.

    Satomi said that a female suicide bomber infiltrated the IDPs camp and detonated explosive killing herself and five other people, while 39 others were wounded.

    He said the second suicide bomber detonated improvised explosive device at the entrance of Dalori residential quarters and blew herself to pieces.

    According to him, there was no casualty in the second attack.

    The chairman added that the wounded had been taken to the Specialist Hospital, Maiduguri

    Dalori camp is located on the road from Maiduguri to Konduga, Bama, and the border between Nigeria and Cameroon, 15 kilometres south-east of Maiduguri.

    The camp has been targeted many times by suspected Boko Haram terrorist group. Worst of these attacks occurred on January 30, 2016, when at least 86 people were killed and at least 62 injured.

  • Buhari returns to Abuja after AU Summit

    Buhari returns to Abuja after AU Summit

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday returned to Abuja after a successful outing at the 30th African Union Summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, where he was conferred as the anti-corruption Champion.

    The theme of the 30th AU Summit was; “Winning the Fight against Corruption: A Sustainable Path to Africa’s Transformation.’’

    The President’s aircraft landed at the presidential wing of the Nnamdi International Airport Abuja at about 2.20p.m.

    The Chief of Staff to the President, Malam Abba Kyari, Inspector-General of Police Idris Ibrahim, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Musa Bello, Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Mr Ahmed Abubakar and other presidential aides were at the airport to welcome the President.

    President Buhari had on Jan. 27 started his four-day engagement in Addis Ababa when he joined 14 other members of the Peace and Security Council (PSC) of the African Union to discuss conflict and crisis situations across the continent.

    PSC is a standing organ of the AU for the prevention, management and resolution of conflicts.

    The meeting discussed the persistence of violent conflicts and crisis situations in some parts of the continent, the upsurge of Internally Displaced Persons ( IDPs ) and refugees, climate change and its consequences as well as the issue of the derailment of national development programmes.

    The meeting also reviewed the situations in Somalia, South Sudan, Libya, Guinea Bissau, the Central African Republic and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

    At the meeting, President Buhari had stressed the need to curb the flow of terrorism financing.

    The President, who spoke under the theme, “Towards a Comprehensive Approach to Combat the Transnational Threat to Terrorism”, maintained that “concerted efforts must be made to dismantle the network between transnational organised crimes and terrorist organisations, and also to block the payment of ransom to terrorist groups.

    Buhari expressed Nigeria’s grave concern over the increasing threats posed by transnational terrorism and the attendant humanitarian crisis.

    The president also condemned in the strongest terms the continued activities of the terrorist groups in Africa, and around the world and called for more concerted action by the African body and the international community to address the global scourge.

    According to him, in doing that, the conditions that are conducive to the spread of extremism, radicalisation and terrorism must first be addressed.

    He added that collaborative measures must be taken to disrupt the recruitment of terrorists, their financing networks and the movement of foreign fighters.

    Read Also:  Don’t ignore Obasanjo’s letter, ex-NANS president tells  Buhari

    Buhari disclosed that Nigeria had enacted domestic anti-terrorism laws that also deal with related issues such as kidnapping, drug peddling and gun-running.

    He, however, noted  “terrorism cannot be defeated only through military force and law enforcement measures.

    While formally launching the African Anti-Corruption Year 2018 during the Opening Ceremony of the 30th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union on Sunday, Buhari described corruption as “one of the greatest evils of our time.’’

    The President thanked his African colleagues for entrusting him with such a noble responsibility.

    He pledged to do his best “to ensure that the anti-corruption agenda receive the attention it deserves and make the impact we all hope for, during 2018 and beyond.”

    He said: “Corruption is indeed one of the greatest evils of our time. Corruption rewards those who do not play by the rules and also creates a system of distortion and diversion thereby destroying all efforts at constructive, just and fair governance.’’

    The President, who noted that Africa had made some significant strides in enacting legal and policy frameworks such as the African Union Convention on Preventing and Combating Corruption (AUCPCC) to address the vice, said the desired impact had been lacking.

    “Fifteen (15) years after the adoption of the African Union Convention, 2018 provides a good starting point to take stock of progress made so far, assess what still needs to be done and devise new strategies to address new corruption challenges,” he said.

    President Buhari and ex-president Olusegun Obasanjo had exchange pleasantries briefly before the opening ceremony of the 30th Ordinary Session of the Assembly.

    Their contact marked the first time both men met since the controversial special letter released by Obasanjo criticizing Buhari’s administration and advising him not to seek re-election in 2019.

    The latest reaction to Obasanjo’s letter came from a serving Minister of Communications, Alhaji Adebayo Shittu, who on Monday, advised the former president to allow Nigerians to determine Buhari’s eligibility or otherwise to re-contest the presidential election in 2019.

    Shittu told State House correspondents in an interview that, “Obasanjo as a Nigerian has the right to hold an opinion.

    According to him, if Obasanjo holds an opinion that Mr President has performed less than it should be, those of us who are in the position to know better has a right to also state the other side, which perhaps Obasanjo is ignorant of.

    “You see, there are some people who enjoy engaging in sensationalism.

    “With due respect to General Obasanjo, if you take his history over the last 30 years, there is hardly any regime other than his own that he did not criticize except Sani Abacha, who didn’t wait for Obasanjo to criticize him before he was sent to the gulag.

    “So many Nigerians know that Obasanjo enjoys this type of sensationalisation’’.

    President Buhari also attended the closing ceremony of the summit on Monday where the African Union inaugurated the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM).

    NAN

  • Benue Govt. procures N100m relief materials for IDPs

    Benue Govt. procures N100m relief materials for IDPs

    Gov. Samuel Ortom of Benue said the State Government had procured N100 million relief materials for immediate distribution to the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in five camps in Guma and Logo Local Government Areas of the state.

    The governor disclosed this on Sunday when he visited the camps in the two Local Government Areas of the state.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the camps were in Daudu, Tse-Adi, Central Primary School; Gbajimba, Anyiin and Ugba.

    He said that the relief materials would be supplied to all the camps on Monday (Jan.15) in order to cushion the effect of their sufferings.

    He advised the IDPs to conduct themselves orderly and to support one another when the need arises, urging them to be their brothers keepers to avert a repeat of what had befallen the state.

    The governor assured them that the security agencies were working very hard to ensure that they return to their various homes in no distant time.

    He appreciated the Federal Government for sending relief materials to the IDPs through the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA).

    He further sympathised with them over the unfortunate incident that sent them out of their respective homes.

    Also speaking, the Executive Secretary, State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Mr Emmanuel Shior, said that the agency had registered more than 60,000 IDPs so far, adding that the registration was ongoing.

    Shior commended Gov. Ortom for his untiring efforts to ensure that the IDPs were comfortable. (NAN)

  • Over 18,000 persons displaced in Nasarawa State – Govt.

    Over 18,000 persons displaced in Nasarawa State – Govt.

    The Nasarawa State Government said over 18,000 people had been displaced in Nasarawa State due to spillover of the killings in Benue.

    The Special Adviser to Gov. Umaru Al-Makura on Security Matters, Mohammed Adeka, disclosed this at a news conference on Thursday in Lafia.

    The briefing had in attendance all the Security Chiefs in the state, the Tiv Development Association (TIDA) and Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), among others.

    Adeka explained that the address to the press followed a decision taken at the state expanded Security Council meeting that was chaired by the Governor.

    He added that reports showed that the spillover attacks in some communities of Benue had led to the displacement of so many people in the border towns between the two States.

    According to Adeka, currently there were over 18,000 Internally Displaced Persons ( IDPs ) from various communities of Awe and Keana Local Government Areas taking refuge in 11 camps in the state.

    The security adviser said most of the IDPs were Tiv people, and that their communities were attacked by some unidentified miscreants.

    He said already security had been beefed up in the affected areas and the government had set up mobile clinics as well as distributed relief materials to the IDPs.

    He assured that the government and the security agencies would do everything possible to arrest and prosecute the Gunmen that were attacking innocent communities in the state.

    Mr Boniface Iter, TIDA President in state, blamed the killings of some Tiv people in some communities of Awe and Keana LGAs on the activities of ‘Terrorist Group’’.

    Mohammed Hussaini, Chairman of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), said the Fulani’s and Tivs people in Nasarawa State were living peacefully.

    He added that the Fulani’s in the state were determined to stay in peace and harmony with other tribes for the development of the state.

    NAN

  • IDPs urged to be good to host community

    IDPs urged to be good to host community

    The Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have been urged to be good to their host communities and be law-abiding in their struggle to earn a living and return to normal life.

    “We commend your efforts at fending for yourselves and your families but we want to urge you to continue to be good to your host community and assist the government in the maintenance of peace and security in the area.” The Founder of Rant HQ, a Facebook Group, Ms Suzan Ade Coker, said on Saturday while engaging the IDPs living in Apo Mechanic Village area of Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) during the group’s humanitarian outreach.

    With the coordination mechanism of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), the group, which boasts of over 100,000 members, donated to the IDPs food items such as Noodles, tomato puree and rice as well as non-food items such as detergents, clothing and toiletries.

    Ms Ade Coker expressed Rant HQ’s genuine concern about the livelihood of the IDPs, hence the relief items. However, she noted that the relief items would not resolve the challenges of displacement but ‘the materials are our widow’s mite to demonstrate that we share in your plight and we truly care. We know this is not much but every little help is all that matters.”

    Reacting to the number of school-age children at the place, The Founder enjoined parents to enrol their children in schools. “Please allow your children to attend schools in the neighbourhood. Every opportunity to get them educated should be seized.” She added.

    In his response, the men’s leader of the IDPs, Mr Lawal Chakule, thanked RantHQ Founder and her team for their kind gestures and love that transcends tribe, religion and geographical location. He acknowledged the support of the host community and assured that the IDPs would remember RantHQ in their prayers.

    The visit to the IDPs in Abuja was the round-up of a two-week humanitarian outreach which started on 23 December 2017, at Ajegunle; and on 26 December moved to Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere Lagos, and in collaboration with Black Diamond Support Foundation, Fed 5,000 kids; provided 5000 printed notebooks, 1000 water bottles and 100 mosquito nets.

    On 30 December 2017, Rant HQ yet again extended its helping hands to the less privileged children of Ogodoh, a suburb of Mende Maryland Lagos.

  • John Holt marks 120 years with IDPs, others

    The donation of products and cash to orphans, patients, internally displaced persons (IDPs) and prison inmates in Lagos, Port Harcourt, Abuja, Maiduguri and Enugu was the hallmark of activities by John Holt Plc to mark her 120 years of existence. The giant conglomerate described the gesture as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives, even as it restated its commitment to positively impact on humanity by giving back to the society.

    It Group Managing Director, Dr. Christopher Ezeh, who stated this during a visit to inmates of Ikoyi Prisons, noted that John Holt Plc will continue to support good causes in the society, especially those that have a direct impact on human development.

    John Holt Plc, according to him, will continue to seize opportunities to add value, listing such opportunities to include support provided through entrepreneurship programmes, protection of vulnerable groups, and others. “It is our own way of adding value to the society, a society to which we owe the longevity of our operations,” he said.

    Among beneficiaries of the latest gestures are IDPs at Muna IDP Camp, Maiduguri, Borno State; Our Savior Orphanage, Port Harcourt; Indigent Patients at Braitwaite Memorial Specialist Hospital, Port Harcourt and Red Cross Motherless Babies Home, Enugu.

    Others are Indigent Patients at University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Ituku Ozara, Enugu State; Unity Orphanage Home, Gwako, Gwagwalada, Abuja; Indigent Patients at National Hospital Abuja; Indigent Patients at Lagos Island General Hospital, and others.