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Tag: Internally displaced persons (IDPs)

  • Failed doomsday displaced Persons

    Failed doomsday displaced Persons

    In crisis situations, there are Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs). These are hapless victims of whatever crisis befell their communities and forced them to leave; they are usually the responsibility of government to care for till peace returns to their troubled homesteads and they get resettled back. Not so with Failed Doomsday Displaced Persons (FDDPs). These are people who chose to believe a lie and self-dislocated their own lives – not because of external aggression but from inner delusion. Anyone in this category cannot hope for government to rehabilitate them. They are on their own.

    It is one week now since the failed prediction of a date for the biblical ‘rapture,’ and those taken in are ruing their self-dispossession in gullible anticipation of an escape from the earth. Rapture is an end-time event by which believers in the Christian faith expect to be supernaturally translocated from the terrestrial plane ahead of a coming period of intense suffering, known as the Tribulation, by those left behind. This event in biblical narrative will mark the second coming of Jesus Christ.

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    South African preacher, Pastor Joshua Mhlakela, recently gained worldwide attention after he claimed Jesus appeared to him in a vision and said he would return during the Jewish Feast of Trumpets, also known as Rosh Hashanah, which held between 22nd and 24th September. “The rapture is upon us, whether you are ready or not, the rapture will happen in 14 days from now,” Mhlakela had told a YouTube channel, adding: “I’m a billion percent sure that we are going to see the Lord, the rapture is going to happen. I don’t know how to assure you, but I give you a billion percent that it is going to happen. The date of the 23rd, which is going to be the rapture of the church, is irrefutable and final.”

    On the day predicted by Mhlakela, videos showed hundreds of people gathered in woods, waiting to be taken up. The preacher himself went live online, joined by some followers, declaring with confidence that the rapture was imminent. After several hours passed without anything happening, Mhlakela said, “I wonder how God works this out. What I know is that it will happen within these two days, but I cannot tell how He arranges the minutes and the seconds, because at any moment something could happen.” He urged his followers to be patient and hopeful.

    Those who believed Mhlakela had taken steps to sign out from planet earth. Social media platforms were flooded with videos from devastated persons who were so convinced doomsday was coming they resigned their jobs and gave away prized possessions. Tilahun Desalegn, an Australian, shared a clip of his car being towed away, saying: “I won’t need her beyond September, because I’m going home.” Kingsalem Igwe, a self-identified Nigerian prophet, said in a video shared on TikTok: “I’m here with all humility to apologise to everyone. I only believed a man who claimed Jesus told him.” Others were seen sobbing over the failed prediction, lamenting that they now had to go back to work. Well, they’re in good time to wake up to the smell of coffee!

    •This article was first published on

    September 30, 2025

  • Benue Govt begins process to return IDPs home

    Benue Govt begins process to return IDPs home

    The Benue State government has initiated the process of returning Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) to their ancestral homes.

    The exercise commenced on Friday, October 17, 2024, at the IDP camp located at Baka along 72 Barracks Road in North Bank, Makurdi. 

    This initiative marks a significant step toward fulfilling Governor Alia’s campaign promise to repatriate IDPs.

    Aondowase Kunde, the Commissioner for Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management, coordinated the effort in collaboration with the Benue State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), the International Organization for Migration (IOM), and other stakeholders on behalf of the Governor. 

    A total of 3,698 IDPs, comprising 1,114 households from the Baka camp in North Bank, will be relocated to a temporary facility constructed along the Makurdi-Gbajimba Road.

    Hon. Kunde explained that it has been the desire of the Governor that deliberate moves be taken to achieve the all important objective of returning IDPs to their ancestral homes

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    He added that in search of durable solutions, the government of Benue State in partnership with International Organization for Migration (IOM has constructed temporary homes to accommodate the IDPs pending their eventual return to their very ancestral homes.

    According to the commissioner, the government does not intend to keep the people in those camps for more than a year as the state action plan for durable solutions prepares to launch another return next month.

    The Camp Chairman, Samson Unum and the Camp Women Leader Patricia Nyikor who spoke on behalf of the IDPs appreciated the Governor of Benue State, Rev Fr Dr Hyacinth Iormem Alia for a more decent accommodation with water, light and security for them.

    Some of the IDPs had been in the camps forpre than 20 years ,occasion by armed herdsmen attacks against peasant farmers.

    Some IDPs who spoke to The Nation expressed  gratitude to Governor Hyacinth Alia ,for the privilege to return home to farming after many years in camps. 

  • UN partners Benue on IDPs

    The United Nations has reached an agreement with the Benue State government and key stakeholders on the best way to bring succour to Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) as a result of the herdsmen-farmers crisis in the state.

    This resolution was reached on Monday, August 19, 2019, after a meeting of the development partners and the stakeholders at the Old Banquet Hall, Benue State People’s House, Makurdi, the state capital.

    At the conclusion of the meeting, it was agreed that partners will provide support to IDPs to undertake crop farming with the provision of seeds and inputs by the UN and alternative housing arrangement by the UN.

    The UN was assured that the Government  of the State in consultation with the relevant Local Government Councils and Key Stakeholders have been made land  available for planting and building in five local governments.

    Dr Magdalyne Dura, Special Adviser to the Governor on Development Cooperation, SDGs and NEPAD revealed that the Local Government Areas include Agatu,  Buruku, Guma, Logo and Kwande.

    Meanwhile, the traditional ruler of Kwande Local Government Area Tor Kwande, Chief Ambrose Iyortyer, agreed for the project funded by the United Nations Human Security Trust Fund, to proceed with the implementation and that land will be assigned to support project initiatives.The  Kwande chief and his Makurdi and Guma Local Government Area counterpart Tor Lobi  Chief Moses Anangeende, appealed to the United Nations partners to continue intense talks with the Federal Government of Nigeria to ensure that the crisis comes to an end and that IDPs finally return to their ancestral homes.

    The traditional leaders of the participating Local Government Areas appreciated the Governor of Benue State and development partners for their palliative measures but reiterated that a long lasting solution to the Fulani herdsmen attacks must be pursued.

  • Food shortage hits Fufore IDPs Camp in Adamawa

    No fewer than 1,400 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) including the elderly, women and children from Fufore in Adamawa State are complaining of acute food supply in the camp.

    Malam Bakura Umar, an IDP and leader of IDPs in Fufore Camp, disclosed this to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday in Yola.

    Umar complained that for the past three months the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) had not supplied food to them.

    “About 1,400 IDPs, mostly women, children and elderly people are facing starvation due to acute food supply in Fufore Camp.

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    “For the past three months, NEMA didn’t supply food for us and we are facing serious living conditions.

    “Because of the acute food supply both men and women from the camp had to go out to Fufore town and other nearby villages to look for food in order to survive,” Umar said.

    He said they were in the camp since 2014 and NEMA used to supply food items for them on monthly basis for every household living in the camp.

    The chairman said the IDPs in the camp were from Bama, Gwoza and Gamboru Ngala in Borno state.

    He said they were brought to the camp from Republic of Cameroon after Boko Haram overran their villages and towns in 2013 and they escaped to Cameroon for safety.

    He appealed to appropriate authorities concerned to come to their aid.

    When contacted, Alhaji Abani Garki, the NEMA Operational Officer in charge of Adamawa and Taraba dismissed the starvation claims and described it as “false alarm”.

    Garki told NAN that the agency was aware about the short delay in supply of the food to the camp.

    “The Agency is aware about the short delay of regular monthly food supply to households in Fufore camp but there was nothing like starvation in the camp.

    “In fact the delay was not as they claimed because we experienced a short delay of food supply in January this year due to some logistic challenges which affected the following months of February and March.

    “The Agency is trying all it can to ensure the IDPs are being taking care of properly,” Garki said.

    He said that the Federal Government was taking very good care of the IDPs including children education, healthcare provision and food supply.

  • UNHCR, others to raise $840m for IDPs

    The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and other humanitarian agencies have disclosed plans to raise about $840 million for the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) across Nigeria.

    The Agency also said despite its efforts at providing life-saving humanitarian assistance in affected areas in the last two and half years, over 320,000 persons have been displaced in the last three months.

    Speaking at the 2nd Regional Protection Dialogue on the Lake Chad Basin in Abuja on Monday, the UNHCR Regional representatives for West Africa and Regional Refugee Coordinator Nigerian Situation, Liz Ahua, said: “There are two responses we have for the crisis in the Lake Chad Basin. We have the humanitarian crisis response strategy for Nigeria, dealing with the Internally Displaced Persons.

    “Today (Tuesday), we will be launching an appeal of about $840 million for the IDPs in Nigeria.

    “We also have a refugee response plan which covers refugees in Chad, Cameroon and Nigeria and that one is about $135 million. These two appeals, seek to reach the victims in the four countries affected.”

    Read Also: IDPs can’t go home now – Ortom

    Lamenting the situation in Lake Chad Basin and the number of those recently displaced in the region, she said: “Two-and-half years after the first Regional Protection Dialogue, it is disheartening to report that the Lake Chad Basin continues to face a protection crisis here in Nigeria and across the neighboring countries.

    “While we have acknowledged the deliberate and concerted efforts of the four countries to bring the Boko Haram crisis to an end and while recognizing the successes achieved by military operations that have led to the recovery of local government areas in north-eastern Nigeria that had been hitherto occupied by Boko Haram, we are dismayed to witness new displacement of people in Borno State and the flight of thousands more into Cameroon and Chad.

    “All together, close to 320,000 persons have been displaced anew in the last three months of 2018 and this very month of January.

    “Today, two-and-half years, after, we all of us gathered here in this meeting stand today, as a community, to share the pains being inflicted to over 7.5 million women, girls, boys, men, young and old, in the Lake Chad Basin.

    “Whether internally displaced, of which there are over 2.5 million, or in exile, of which there are close to 250,000 now or indirectly impacted, we feel the pain, the deprivation and the violence of those that are at the brunt of the Boko Haram Crisis.”

  • Senate condoles with family of slain Red Cross worker

    The Senate on Tuesday condoled with the family of Hauwa Liman, a worker with the International Committee of Red Cross (ICRC), who was killed by Boko Haram insurgents on Monday.

    This followed a Point of Order by the Deputy President of the Senate, Ike Ekweremadu, at plenary.

    The lawmakers while observing “a two-minute” silence for the deceased, also urged the Federal Government to immediately ensure the release of the last ICRC volunteer still in Boko Haram captivity.

    The Upper Chamber also urged the Federal Government to ensure the immediate release of Leah Sharibu, the lone Dapchi School girl still in Boko Haram captivity.

    It mandated the Committee on Security and National Intelligence to meet with security chiefs to find lasting solution to insecurity in the country.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the death of the 24-year-old medical aid worker in the hands of the sect was confirmed by the Federal Government and ICRC on Monday.

    Liman was kidnapped alongside others in March in Rann, Borno, when the insurgents attacked an Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camp.

    One of the kidnapped aid workers, Saifura Khosa, had earlier been executed by the terrorists.

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    After the murder of Khosa, Boko Haram released a video threatening to kill Liman, and Leah Sharibu earlier in the year.

    While presenting the Point of Order, Ekweremadu urged the senate to look into the gruesome killing of Liman by the terrorists group.

    Contributing, Senator Dino Melaye(PDP-Kogi), expressed the need to beef up security in major flashpoints in the country to tackle security concerns beyond insurgency.

    He cited the killing of a corps member, Nkechi Igwetu, in July and the recent killing of another woman, Anita Akapson.

    The lawmaker urged the senate to summon the Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, to explain the activities of his officers.

    “The senate should invite the Inspector-General of Police and ask why insecurity persists,” he said.

    In his remarks, the President of the Senate, Dr Bukola Saraki, put the prayers to voice vote and they were unanimously adopted.

    However, the call for inspector-general of police, Ibrahim Idris’ invitation to give explanations to the security situation did not scale through.

    The omission may not be unconnected to series of face-off between the senate and the inspector-general of police.

    The police boss was summoned by the senate three times but failed to appear before it.

  • Delta starts fumigation of IDPs camps

    Chief John Nani, Delta Commissioner for Environment, on Friday said that the ministry had started fumigation of the various Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camps across the state.

    Nani, who made this known in Asaba, said that the fumigation of the IDPs camp was part of the government efforts to create a comfortable environment for the flood victims.

    He said that the safety of Deltans was paramount to Gov. Ifeanyi Okowa’s prosperity agenda.

    The commissioner, however, advised the people in the camps to keep their environment clean; practice regular hand washing and always cover food stuffs to prevent rodents from gaining access to their foods.

    He said that the Environment Ministry had fumigated the IDPs at Ogbe-Afor Primary School, Asaba, in Oshimili South Local Government Area and Ewulu Grammar School, Ewulu in Aniocha South Local Government Area.

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    The commissioner said that the ministry also fumigated the camp at Utagba-Ogbe Technical College, Kwale in Ndokwa West Local Government Area and other places.

    Nani, in a statement issued by the State Ministry of Information, said that there would be a statewide environmental sanitation on Saturday and there would be no restriction of movement.

    According to the commissioner, there will be no restriction of movement due to the ongoing West African Examination Council (WAEC) Private Examination.

    He advised the general public to keep their environment clean by cutting over-grown weeds and clearing all drains around their residential and business premises.

    Nani said the State Waste Management Board would evacuate all waste to the approved dump sites.

    He noted that the Delta State Ministry of Environment, Local Government Authorities and other relevant authorities, would monitor the exercise.

  • Plateau constitutes eight-man committee to resettle IDPs

    The Plateau Government has constituted an 8-man committee to return Internally Displaced Persons ( IDPs ) from the recent herders/farmers clashes to their original homes.

    The Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Mr Rufus Bature, made this known in a statement on Wednesday in Jos.

    He said the committee’s terms of reference included identifying the areas affected   by the crises, identifying those displaced and areas they were displaced from and ascertaining the number of people affected and displaced.

    According to him, the committee is also to identify those who have annexed and destroyed villages, working out modalities for effective return of the affected persons to their original homes.

    They are also to make any other recommendations that would facilitate the return of the IDPs to their original places.

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    He listed areas with cases of annexation to include Jos North, Jos South, Barkin  Ladi, Riyom, Mangu, Bokkos  and Bassa local governments, saying  that  the government observed with dismay the indiscriminate annexation land crises in the affected areas.

    The SSG said that the incidence of annexation was either as a result of fear of being attacked or being chased away by adversaries.

    He announced the appointment of Retired AVM Bala Danbaba as the Chairman of the Committee.

    Other members are Retired Commissioner of Police Patrick Garba, Alhaji Sale Bayari, Da Christopher Mancha, Gwom Rwei Zawan, Acting ExecutiveSec retary of State Emergency Management Agency ( SEMA ),  Rev. Yakubu Pam and Ibrahim Izang.

    The committee is expected to submit its report in four weeks.

  • 38, 051 IDPs taking refuge in 31 Camps in Plateau – SEMA

    Plateau State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) says a total of 38, 051 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) are taking refuge in 31 camps in the state following recent violence.

    She said that the IDPs were victims of the June 23 and 24 violence involving suspected herdsmen and villagers in Barkin Ladi, Riyom, Mangu, Bokkos and Jos South Local Government Areas.

    Mrs Julie Bala, SEMA Director of Search and Rescue, said on Monday in Mangu in an interview with the News men that 11 camps have been set up for the 16, 885 IDPs in Barkin Ladi local government.

    “In Jos South local government we have a total of 9, 661 IDPs in Geo-Science Camps A and B, while in Riyom and Bokkos LGAs, we have 2, 772 persons in four camps and 2, 086 persons in six camps respectively,’’ she said.

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    Bala added that 6, 653 persons are taking refuge in eight different camps including host communities in Mangu local government.

    According to her, each of the five local governments has a “host community’’ camp.

    “When we say the host communities, we are talking about those relations hosting some of the affected victims in their respective houses,’’ she explained.

    The director said that SEMA had distributed relief materials in the various camps with the exception of those at Farin Lamba in Riyom, Mangun and COCIN Ranpiya in Mangu.

    On the exact number of men, women and children in the various camps, the official said that the agency had not completed the profiling of the IDPs.

     

  • We’ll restore your devastated communities, Buhari assures IDPs

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday assured internally displaced persons (IDPs) that his administration would leave no stone unturned in restoring their devastated communities for their immediate and safe return.

    Mr Attah Esa, Deputy Director (Information), State House, Abuja, in a statement, said the President gave the assurance while congratulating the 2,000 IDPs at the Kuchingoro Camp, in the Federal Capital Territory who are getting set to return to their communities in the Northeast.

    Esa disclosed that the President spoke through his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, who received the IDPs at the precincts of the Aso Rock Villa on his behalf.

    President Buhari assured all Nigerians that his administration would not forget citizens in their time of distress and would continue to work for the betterment and security of the people.

    The President also used the opportunity to thank members of the international community and Nigerians, including Aliko Dangote, General T.Y Danjuma and other philanthropists, for their sustained efforts towards the reconstruction and rehabilitation of destroyed communities in the Northeast.

    Mrs Maryam Nuhu, the leader of the IDPs, who were mainly women and children, thanked the Buhari Administration for the defeat of the Boko Haram terrorists and the ongoing reconstruction of their communities.

    She said: “Our towns and villages have been cleared of these terrorists. We can now confidently return home and pick up our lives from the points where we will meet them.

    “”Mr President, thanks for making this possible for us to be returning home.

    “”Our sad story took a turn for the better because of the calibre of military leaders you appointed.’’