The Nation Newspaper

Tag: IDPs

  • Kanu Laments Neglect Of Internally Displaced Persons

    Kanu Laments Neglect Of Internally Displaced Persons

    Former Super Eagles skipper, Kanu Nwankwo has expressed disgust over the neglect accorded the Internally Displaced Persons(IDP) by all strata of political office holders and cooperate organizations,  in exception of Federal Government.

       Kanu, who spoke to sportswriters after , the novelty for IDP’s at the Sani Abacha stadium, in Kano said, the issue of IDP in Nigeria is been played low, and as such  , the challenges posed by those displaced across the country  is been accorded less attention leading to poor nutrition, environmental  unfriendliness, lack of access to education and sexual harassment.

    Kanu appealed to Nigerians to arise  and then tackle the IDP predicaments, where  politicians, musicians, sportsmen and women, must all come together and face the challenges  confronting the IDP’s in the country.

    The  retired soccer phenomenon, who led African Legends against Kano Pillars in a novelty match organized to create awareness on IDP’s  denounced, what he described as  the non chalant attitude to IDP’s by philanthropic groups.

    He chastised those assigned with the responsibility to address the IDP crisis for allegedly refraining from  exposing the true challenges associated with IDP’s, urging for a wider campaign to educate and create awareness on issues bordering around the challenges caused by the dilemma of IDP’s.

    Kanu who led an array of retired  African football legends to honor the match tagged Match For IDP’s said there is the need to rise awareness on the situation concerning IDP’s in Nigeria.

    The former Arsenal fc of England ace attacker, expressed appreciation to Fan for their overwhelming support given to the initiative by coming out in enmass to witness the match.

    According to him, “We did not expect the crowd to be like this, it turn out to be overwhelming, as you can see a lot of them are still outside  waiting to come in, after the stadium has filled to the brim. That shows the love and passion as well as the support for what we are doing to wipe out the tears of the IDP’s.”

    Among the arrays of retired football stars that storm the ancient city of Kano  to star in the match are, the former captain Senegal, Teranga Lions, El Hadji Diouf, his South Africa and Zimbabwean counterparts   Aaron Mokoena and Benjamin Nwanruwari, respectively,  ex Nigerians internationals, Daniel Amokachi, Mutiu Adepoju, Tijjani Babangida, Garba Lawal, and Yaro Yaro all featured in the game, which  ended 2-1 in favor of Kano Pillars.

  • 1,500 teachers for Taraba IDPs camps

    1,500 teachers for Taraba IDPs camps

    About 1,500 teachers, trained under the State Education Programme Investment Project (SEPIP) in Taraba State, have been deployed to teach in Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camps.

    SEPIP is a World Bank-assisted programme for schools in the Northeast ravaged by Boko Haram insurgency and other conflicts.

    Project Coordinator Mohammed Bashir Suleiman, said: “The move is to reach the displaced children and other hard-to-reach areas in the Northeast. Taraba currently has over 285,000 out-of-school children, of which IDPs children contribute to this figure.

    “Our target is to train more teachers and motivate them to go into the villages to teach these children. We have teachers, but most of them prefer to stay in towns. However, with the training and motivation we are giving them, more and more teachers are now willing to be deployed in villages.”

    Suleiman added that the World Bank-supported Better Education Service Delivery for All (BESDA) will start in Taraba State soon.

    BESDA is targeted at increasing equitable access for out-of-school children and improving literacy level, especially in early grades.

    The agency hailed Governor Darius Ishaku for prompt payment of counterpart funds for the project.

  • Army denies suicide bomb attack in IDPs camp, ambush on soldiers

    Army denies suicide bomb attack in IDPs camp, ambush on soldiers

    The Nigerian Army on Tuesday dismissed as ‘misleading’, reports of a suicide bomb attack at an Internally Displaced Persons ( IDPs ) camp in Pulka community of Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno.

    The military also described as ‘fictitious’, the purported killing of six soldiers by Boko Haram insurgents in an ambush on Damboa Road.

    Col. Onyema Nwachukwu, the Deputy Director, Army Public Relations, Operation Lafiya Dole, gave the clarifications in an interview in Maiduguri.

    Nwachukwu disclosed that two suicide bombers infiltrated Pulka town on Monday, one of the bombers was neutralised by the troops, while the other one detonated an Improvised Explosive Device (IEDs) in the town, killed two persons and two others sustained injuries.

    He said a military vehicle stepped on an IED device planted on Damboa Road on Sunday, noting that two soldiers lost their lives in the incident.

    “The incident in Pulka occurred inside the town and not at the IDPs camp. The gallant troops neutralised one of the attackers even before causing harm to any one, while the other suicide bomber detonated the explosive killing two persons and injuring two others.

    “There was no ambush by the insurgents on our troops. The soldiers were involved in an IED explosion accident when their vehicle stepped on the device planted on the road.

    Read also: Army kills Three insurgents in Borno

    “Two soldiers were involved in the incident; there was no ambush, no ammunition carted away or six soldiers killed, as being erroneously reported. It is a misrepresentation of facts,” he said.

    Nwachukwu said the military authorities had sympathised with the victims of the suicide bomb attack in Pulka, and reiterated its commitment to the protection of lives and property.

    The army spokesman also called on the people in the region to be vigilant and provide useful information to the military on suspicious activities in their respective communities.

    “Security and peace building is a collective responsibility; I call on community and religious leaders to mobilise their people and cooperate with the military in the fight against insurgency.

    “Boko Haram insurgents do not wear uniform to easily identify them. People must be vigilant to report suspicious persons and contribute to the restoration of peace in the region,” he said.

    NAN

  • UNHCR, AUN empowers returnees, others in Yobe

    UNHCR, AUN empowers returnees, others in Yobe

    The United Nation High Commission for Refugees ( UNHCR ) in partnership with American University of Nigeria (AUN), Yola has presented empowerment packages to 426 refugee returnees, IDPs and members of host communities in Yobe State.

    Presenting a welcome address at the occasion which was held at the Yobe State Cultural Centre, Damaturu,  the Head of Office, Damaturu, Mr. Gabriel Idoko  on behalf of the Head, UNHCR Sub-Office Maiduguri Mr. Cesar Tshilombo explained that the presentation of the empowerment packages is a process that started, “during the registration and profiling of these our persons of concern with SEMA, provision of shelter kits, core relief items, cash assistance and general protection that was later followed up with the determination of livelihoods need-assessment has now transformed into this empowerment activity that we are witnessing today”.

    He noted that UNHCR has developed a deliberate policy of empowering people to be sustainable and self-reliant without much dependence on humanitarian support.

    “Based on our fundamental believe in UNHCR, instead of always giving fish as humanitarian organization to the displaced persons to eat at a time and still be in lack, we often invest in the training and provision of resources to the displaced person, on how to always catch their fish by themselves. By so doing they will be able to catch fish forever with their families. At the end, their lives will be sustainable and self-reliant without much dependence on humanitarian support”, he said.

    Idoko added that UNHCR is doing their activities within their core mandate as a protection organization which protects; assists; empowers; includes; and solves the related challenges of all the displaced people all over the world.

    According to him, the organization in partnership with AUN has implemented a similar project in all the six northeastern states nurturing a total of about 350 cooperative groups with about 244 of such groups from Borno and Yobe states, stressing that, the sum of N60 million has been committed to the project as grants with each group beneficiary getting an average of N250000 to improve their businesses.

    He explained that each group is comprised of at least 10-12 people with others getting more money depending on the nature of their craft and business. He added that about 11,652 persons have been trained in other skills like computer, capacity building and development to farmers, access to finance, apprentice and wage earning opportunities in the region with Yobe alone having the share of 1,853 beneficiaries.

    He commended that Emir of Damaturu and the Emirate for their unflinching support with particular mention of the donation of a venue at the palace for the for vocational training, adding that, talks are on with the BEST Centre in Potiskum for the infrastructural and material support in the training of vulnerable PoCs. More than 1000 PoCs have also gained financial literacy and Business Development training through UNHCR/AUN partnership.

    The Representative of AUN, called on the beneficiaries to take advantage of the empowerment kits and change their lives forever rather than selling them to some shred businessmen who would like to exploit them.

    Other partners who also spoke at the occasion include the Executive Secretary of SEMA, Musa Idi Jidawa, the Commissioner of Women Affairs, Yobe State Hajara Lawan, representative of the Commissioner for Youth and Sports.

    They all commended UNHCR and AUN for the strategic intervention in the lives of the displaced people in the state.

    Highlights of the occasion were the presentation of the kits to the beneficiaries, while the state cultural troupe was on hand to entertain guests.

  • Disquiet over plans to withdraw N18b from N45b IDPs fund

    •N5b for ‘retraining’ of security personnel
    •We followed due process, says minister

    There is disquiet over the request to deduct N18,227,065,037.50 from the N45 billion approved by the National Assembly in 2016  for the Presidential Committee for the Northeast Initiative (PCNI).

    Of the targeted N18.2 billion, N5 billion is being proposed for the “retraining of security personnel” in the Northeast under a project called the “Bama Special Squad”.

    The National Assembly had, in December 2016, approved the N45 billion for the rehabilitation of millions of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) and rebuilding of the six Northeastern states ravaged by the Boko Haram insurgency.

    The N45 billion was meant to address humanitarian crises in the 112 local governments in the six states – Borno, Yobe, Adamawa, Bauchi, Gombe and Taraba.

    The N18. 2 billion is meant to go into a special account, the “Northeast Intervention Fund”, which has been placed under the control of Minister of State for Budget and National Planning Mrs. Zainab Ahmed and Chief of Staff to the President Abba Kyari.

    Kyari is the chairman of the Bama Initiative. He also chairs the Procurement Committee. Zenaib Ahmed chairs the Project Committee of the Bama Initiative.

    Responding to The Nation’s inquiries on the project, the minister said there was no wrong doing in the steps taken so far, insisting that due process was observed in setting up the Bama Initiative.

    Speaking through Mr. Akpandem James, an aide of the Minister of Budget and National Planning, Senator Udoma Udo Udoma, the Minister of State said the project was part of the intervention programme for the Northeast.

    The minister’s response, which came through an email questionnaire sent to her by The Nation, confirmed the request, but stated that the N18.2 billion had not been released .

    She insisted that the fund was not being diverted, adding that the Bama Initiative was conceptualised to address the development of the Northeast as a focused intervention that concentrates on providing a holistic solution.

    The minister said: “First of all, the word diversion is inappropriate here. The assumption may stem from the lack of understanding of the essence of the Northeast Intervention Fund and the role of the Presidential Committee on Northeast Initiative (PCNI).

    “Both have to do with interventions in the Northeast rehabilitation programme. A representative of the PCNI is a member of Presidential Steering Committee, the Implementation and Procurement Committees of the Bama Initiative (TBI); so the question of diversion does not arise.

    “The Northeast Intervention Fund is a Service Wide Vote, which has a budgetary provision of N45 billion. Expenditure from this vote can be approved by the President for the development of the Northeast. PCNI is funded from the vote, so is TBI.

    “The Bama Initiative was conceptualised to address the development of the Northeast as a focused intervention that concentrates on providing a holistic solution; an improvement on the fragmented approach in the past few years.

    “TBI is meant to be a pilot that can be replicated in another town that has been devastated by the Boko Haram insurgency.”

    She added: “TBI is to be made operational to coordinate and support the security and humanitarian activities of the Federal Government, the Borno State Government (BOSG), the Nigerian Armed Forces (NAF), the Nigerian Police Force (NPF), the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA).

    “That vehicle, which is a pilot phase of the Northeast rehabilitation programme, starting with Borno State, is The Bama Initiative (TBI). There is already a provision of N45 billion in the 2017 Budget for Northeast intervention. The N18,227,065,037.50, when approved, would be ring fenced in a Special Project Account to be used exclusively for TBI.”

    The N45 billion PCNI is set aside for the rehabilitation of 21 local governments spread across six states in the Northeast. The N18.2 billion is being proposed for Bama Local Government, which is only one out of the 21 local governments devastated by insurgency.

    On why Bama was singled out for the project, the Minister said: “The choice derives from the fact that Bama is the second largest town in Borno State. It also has the second largest number of displaced persons.

    “Bama also has a strong military presence, a helipad, good logistics and a location where a number of people have already moved to. It was, therefore, ideal that the programme is adapted to Bama.”

    Mrs. Ahmed justified the involvement of the Bama Initiative in the retraining of security agencies with N5 billion, saying the security personnel so trained will constitute what she described as the “Special Bama Squad (SBS)”.

    She said: “The Special Bama Squad (SBS) would be made up of 1,500 men of the NPF and 1,500 men of the NSCDC that will relieve the Nigerian Army in Bama and five other nearby towns and its environs.

    “The SBS will be trained to fit into their expected role. The Nigerian military is to conduct the training of the 3,000 men. TBI intervention is designed to ensure that, as the Nigerian military reclaims territories held by or under threat from the Boko Haram insurgency, these territories are secured by the Police and Civil Defence formations, enabling the armed forces to advance and secure other operating theatres.”

    Mrs. Ahmed said her position as chairperson of the Project Implementation Committee would not lead to any conflict of interests with her role as Minister of State.

    Asked to defend the Bama Initiative and speculations that it was one of the many scandals being perpetrated under the present administration, the minister said such speculations were borne out of ignorance.

    Inaugurating the PCNI in October 2016, Buhari had directed all government agencies involved in humanitarian efforts in the Northeast to collapse into PCNI, which he mandated to coordinate all intervention activities in the zone.

  • Army arrests drug peddlers, cultists

    Army arrests drug peddlers, cultists

    Troops of 6 Division, Nigerian Army, Port Harcourt, have arrested nine suspected drug peddlers and 30 cult suspects in the ongoing Exercise Crocodile Smile II in the Niger Delta.

    Col. Aminu Iliyasu, the division’s Deputy Director, Army Public Relations, said in a statement on Thursday that several drugs, arms and ammunition were seized from the suspects.

    He said the suspects were arrested by troops of 343 Artillery Regiment while on patrol in Brass Local Government Area of Bayelsa on October 13.

    “The suspects were found to be in possession of substances suspected to be cannabis and 33 wraps suspected to be heroin.

    “Also, on October 24, troops arrested 30 suspected cultists in Ogbolomabiri and Nembe.

    ”The suspects, who are members of rival cult groups, engaged themselves in a shoot-out in a battle of supremacy.

    “Troops also identified and destroyed militant and sea pirate camps and shrines along Okparatobo creek in Southern Ijaw local government area.

    “One AK-47 magazine, eight live rounds of 7.62mm special and one fibre speedboat mounted with 115 Horsepower engine were recovered.

    ”The suspects fled on sighting troops approach,” he said.

    Iliyasu added that another success recorded by troops of 16 Brigade Garrison was the arrest of a notorious armed robber who allegedly escaped from the police in Yenagoa, Bayelsa.

    He said that troops of 16 brigade garrison and 130 Battalion also conducted a special operation on October 16 that led to the arrest of a criminal kingpin terrorising residents of Tombia community.

    According to him, soldiers assisted by operatives of Department of State Security raided a criminal hide-out and arrested notorious cultists (names withheld) at Sand road in Yenagoa, Bayelsa.

    “The suspect, popularly called Hot Bottle, has been on the police wanted list over an allegation that he killed some people at Omoku LGA in Rivers – and thereafter relocated to Bayelsa to evade arrest.

    “Similarly, troops acting on a tip-off arrested another suspected criminals  (names withheld) at Etiema community, who was alleged to have participated in several kidnappings and sea piracy around Nembe.

    “The suspects and items recovered have been handed over to relevant security agencies for possible prosecution while the operation continues,” he said.

    Iliyasu said that 176 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) who were displaced by the crises that rocked Premabiri community in Bayelsa in 2015 had been relocated by 6 division troops.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the special military exercise began on Oct. 7 and would end on Oct. 28 in six states across the Niger Delta.

  • Indimi Foundation builds N600m housing estate for IDPs

    Relief is on the horizon for internally displaced persons in Maiduguri, Borno State as the Muhammadu Indimi Foundation, a humanitarian organisation founded by the Executive Chairman of Oriental Energy Resources Limited, Alhaji Muhammadu Indimi, is to build a N600 million solar-powered village of 100 units of 3-room houses for those displaced by Boko Haram in the state.

    The project is located in Bama, one of the worst-hit communities in Maiduguri.

    Other features include five blocks of classrooms, a fully-equipped health centre, an open-shed market,  to revive trading among the inhabitants, sport facilities for children and an incinerator.

    At the flag-off of construction works, Idimi said: “Following the trauma the people have been through, we will spare no resource to restore hope, healing, and lay a lasting foundation for growth. It is a well-known fact that our greatest strength as a country lies in our people and our resilience in the face of numerous day-to-day challenges. Through our modest activities and initiatives, we hope to contribute to the alleviation of poverty in our communities and unlock Northern Nigeria’s potential. The Muhammadu Indimi Village Bama is one of the many steps we have taken in contributing to building better lives for our people.”

    He also revealed that the foundation planned to replicate the 100-unit “Idimi Village” in Ngala Local Government Area, another community where thousands of families fled their homes and lost their means of livelihood.

    He thanked Governor Kashim Shettima for his support for the project, especially for donating the land in Bama and Ngala.

    Shettima praised the donor for his gesture, describing him as “an inspiring model of impeccable business integrity and unbounded humanitarian activities, who has continued to identify with our values, challenges and predicament.

    “We want to thank Alhaji  Indimi for his generosity of spirit and for fiercely identifying with his people. I wish to unequivocally commend this magnanimous undertaking and commitment of the Muhammadu Indimi Foundation. We deeply appreciate the humanitarian gesture of the chairman, in the resettlement of IDPs in Borno State. Alhaji  Indimi is a renowned and worthy son of Borno, indeed one of the greatest,” the governor said.

    The Muhammadu Indimi Village is due for completion in December. The focus of the Foundation is purposeful and proactive investments in education, food, shelter, crisis relief, rehabilitation and empowerment. Since inception, thousands of internally displaced persons (IDPs) and families have benefitted from these initiatives.

  • Boko Haram: Many IDPs not ready to return home – Norwegian agency

    Boko Haram: Many IDPs not ready to return home – Norwegian agency

    The vast majority of almost two million Nigerians driven from their homes by Boko Haram insurgency cannot return due to lack of security, an aid agency said on Wednesday.

    About 1.8 million people have been displaced in Nigeria by Boko Haram insurgency, which has left at least 20,000 dead and shows little sign of ending as it drags into its ninth year.

    The Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) said in a report that 86 percent of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) were not ready to return home in the immediate future.

    Insecurity is cited by 84 percent of them as the main reason for wanting to stay put, it said.

    “Only about six in 10 people said they wanted to return to their villages at some point, but could not do so now,” the NRC  said.

    Many of the displaced people said they have tried to return home, only to be forced to flee back to safer camps and cities because of continued attacks by Boko Haram and general insecurity.

    “While the end game is for communities to return home, the unfortunate truth is that pushing people back now will have harmful consequences,” Reuters quoted NRC secretary general, Jan Egeland, as saying in a statement.

     

     

  • Academy urges support for IDPs

    Orange Academy, Africa’s 1st Practical School of Integrated Brand Experience and Idea Management, has urged Nigerians to support Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs)

    The Provost, Mr. Femi Odugbemi, who spoke at Sheraton Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos, at the graduation of class of 15th and 16th session of its most demanded programme: ‘The School of Integrated Brand Experience’, also called IBX, said: “The 2017 Art of Positive Thinking (APT) Immersion with the theme: ‘IT Factor’, encourages people to support IDPs by garnering well over 400 signatures on a dedicated wall.

    “We are confident that the future of branding and storytelling in Africa can only get better with our crop of change agents. Our carefully selected modules of programme, coupled with the learning experience provided by seasoned faculty heads and facilitators, make Orange Academy the idea school to beat.”

  • Japan extends $1m grant for protection of IDPs, returnees

    The government of Japan has extended Emergency Grant Aid of $1 million (N360 million) for the protection of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Northeast.

    The aid is released to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) for “protection and provision of targeted assistance to IDPs and returnees in Northeast”, in response to humanitarian challenges faced by IDPs and returnees in Northeast.

    UNHCR said almost seven million people were in need of humanitarian assistance in the three most affected states of Borno, Adamawa and Yobe, adding that vulnerable people were in need of humanitarian intervention, including food, water, sanitation, protection, education, shelter and health services in accessible areas.

    Reacting to humanitarian challenges faced by victims of crisis in Northeast and their host communities, Japanese Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Sadanobu Kusaoke, said: “Their living condition is unacceptable to Japan and should be to governments and people of good conscience, hence the need for global joint effort to restore lives and hope to the people of Northeast.”

    The emergency grant aid is expected to contribute to improving sanitation and provision of sanitation materials to reduce health hazard; increase livelihood opportunities in areas of return; provide alternative sources of energy for food preparation; ensure Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) and refugee returnees live safely in camps and make sure protection needs are met.