The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Internally displaced persons (IDPs)

  • Fire razes ultra-modern IDP camp in Plateau

    Fire razes ultra-modern IDP camp in Plateau

    The newly constructed ultra-modern Internally Displaced Persons ( IDPs ) Camp in Shendam Local Government Area (LGA) of Plateau has been razed by fire.

    The camp was constructed by the Presidential Committee on Flood, Relief and Rehabilitation, which came into being after the 2012 flood disaster that ravaged 24 states in the country.

    Mr Bintan Wuyep, Director, Relief and Rehabilitation, Plateau Emergency Management Agency ( SEMA ) confirmed the inferno while speaking with our reporter in Jos on Thursday.

    Wuyep, who is the Acting Executive Secretary of the agency, said the disaster occurred on Tuesday.

    He said, however, that SEMA had been unable to assess the level of damage due to paucity of funds.

    “We don’t have funds even to fuel our vehicle to go to the camp to ascertain the cause of the inferno and assess the extent of damage.

    “We have gone everywhere even for a loan, but we have not succeeded.

    “Hence, we cannot give the exact level of damage caused by the sad incident,” Wuyep said.

    The Acting executive secretary described the incident as “a big loss to Plateau and Nigeria as a whole.’’

    According to him, the camp was meant to house Displaced Persons that might be affected in future disaster in any part of the state.

    Wuyep added that SEMA had already informed the Presidential Committee of the sad development.
    “The committee told us to assess the damage and formally write a report informing them of the cause and extent of damage.

    “But like I said earlier, we are constrained by lack of funds,” he said.

    Wuyep appealed to the State Government to empower the agency with funds to enable it function according to the law establishing it.

    He commended the State House of Assembly for its resolve to investigate the cause of the inferno.

    Wuyep stated that the action was not just timely but necessary.

    NAN

  • All items for IDPs including judiciously distributed – Obaseki’s Aide

    All items for IDPs including judiciously distributed – Obaseki’s Aide

    The Edo State Government says all the bags of rice and other items like shoes, apart from the ones that were damaged in storage before they were allocated, were distributed to the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) and other orphanage homes within the state.

    Special Adviser to Governor Godwin Obaseki on Media and Communication Strategy, Mr Crusoe Osagie, declared as completely false, the allegation of diversion of rice by the Edo State People’s Democratic Party (PDP).

    “The allegation is laughable and completely false and is a design of detractors to smear the image of a performing government,” Osagie said.

    He added, “they have tried and failed on all other fronts, now they have stooped lower to a commodity as cheap as rice.”

    The governor’s aide maintained that “the Edo PDP has a rich history of diverting items meant for the less privileged and the state’s resources and its members think other people are like them.”

    He explained that the state government has made several donations to people in distress in the past and it is irreconcilable that a known donor to humanitarian courses would divert items meant for IDPs.

    “PDP’s allegation that out of the 6822 bags of rice meant for IDPs in Edo State, over 4000 bags of rice were diverted as only 2101 bags were only given to the IDPs, is a figment of the imaginations of members of Edo PDP.”

  • IDPs: NEMA receives 135,580 bags of rice donated by China

    IDPs: NEMA receives 135,580 bags of rice donated by China

    The Nigeria Emergency Management Agency ( NEMA ) on Tuesday in Lagos took delivery of 135,580 bags of 50kg rice donated by the People’s Republic of China for Internally Displaced Persons ( IDPs ).

    NEMA Director General, Mustapha Maihajja, was at Apapa Port where he received rice the consignment loaded in 271 containers.

    Maihajja said that the rice would be transported directly to various designated warehouses for distribution to victims of Book Haram insurgency in six states of the North East.

    “The rice arrived in 271 containers and was being transported to the locations on Monday.

    “The Federal Government would be officially presented the consignment by the Chinese Government in one of the locations before direct distributions to the victims would commence,” he said.

    On the quality of the rice, the NEMA boss said that the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and NAFDAC have tested samples of the rice and certified the product for consumption before accepting the gift.

    Maihajja dismissed fears of diversion of the rice to private use, stressing that all security agencies would be involved in the transportation and distributoon of the product.

    “We have put in place security measures to ensure that the rice gets to the appropriate persons.

    “The vehicles carrying the rice are being tracked. We have never had diversion of goods to IDPs before and there would be no problem with this rice, “ he assured.

    NAN

  • Benue’ll not succumb to any move to repeal law – Ortom

    Benue’ll not succumb to any move to repeal law – Ortom

    Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom says his government would not succumb to any intimidation or move to repeal the open grazing, prohibition and ranches establishment law.

    Governor Ortom stated this when he visited Three Internally Displaced Persons ( IDPs ) camps including Abagena, LGEA Primary School Daudu and United Nations High Commission for refugees ( UNHC ) Shelter.

    He restated his resolve to continue to call on the Federal Government to rise and stop the killings and displacement of Benue people by Fulani herdsmen as such was the lawful thing to do.

    Governor Ortom stated that the federal government with the capacity to stop the killings in the state had allowed People to be playing game with the matter to divert attention by accusing his administration of raising Six Thousand militia men and making inflammatory remarks.

    The Governor directed the Commissioner for Health and Human Services, Dr. Cecilia Ojabo to deploy a team of medical personnel to the Abagena IDP camp newly created to provide health services there.

    Governor Ortom also directed that security Personnel be provided at the new Abagena camp housing displaced persons from neighbouring Nasarawa State to ensure adequate security.

    He also called for humanitarian assistance from civil society groups,spirited individuals and the international community,adding that the number of displaced persons and their needs far outweigh resources of the state.

    Earlier, Executive Secretary, State Emergency Management Agency, SEMA, Mr. Emmanuel Shior said the Abagena camp has over Six Thousand most of who were from Nasarawa state, adding that relief materials had equally been deployed there.

  • Army donates sports items, others to IDPs in Borno

    Army donates sports items, others to IDPs in Borno

    The Nigerian Army on Thursday said it had distributed sports and economic empowerment equipment to Banki Internally Displaced Persons ( IDPs ) camp in Bama Local Government Area of Borno.

    The Assistant Director, Army Public Relations, 21 Brigade,  2nd-Lt. Chinonso Oteh, disclosed this in a statement issued in Maiduguri.

    Oteh said that the items were presented to the displaced persons by the outgoing Commander, 152 Battalion, Lt-Col. Peter Elayo.

    Elayo was quoted as saying that the gesture was part of civil-military relations aimed aimed at assuaging the plight of the IDPs and improving their living condition.

    The commanding officer listed the items to include a complete barbing saloon, tailoring shed and an electric generator.

    Two sets of football kits were also donated to the Banki IDPs Football Club.

    Elayo called on the IDPs to be law abiding, cooperate with the military and report suspicious movement and persons to the appropriate authorities.

    Elayo handed over the command of the battalion to the incoming commander, Lt.-Col. I. Ogundele.

    Elayo was redeployed to the Department of Training and Operations, Army Headquarters.

    NAN

  • NGO to carry out trauma intervention for IDPs

    NGO to carry out trauma intervention for IDPs

    The Mandate Health Empowerment Initiative (MHEI), an NGO said on Friday it would carry out trauma intervention for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the North East in 2018.

    Mr Ameh Zion, MHEI President, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja that the intervention organised in collaboration with the Presidential Initiative for North East would take place in the first quarter of 2018.

    Zion said that the intervention was aimed at providing the needed psycho-social support and rehabilitation to victims of the crisis in the region.

    He noted that although the crisis was presently minimal, its impact on citizens within the region was great hence the need to provide not just material and medical support but also trauma and psychological intervention.

    According to him, the kind of support the IDPs will be requiring this moment is mostly trauma related. There are still pockets of emergencies but our intervention will be trauma based.

    “We have sought partnerships with several organisations to carry out several projects in 2018 and we have secured a partnership with the Presidential Initiative for North East to achieve this.

    “We have included training of trainers as part of our agenda for 2018. We would like to train at least a few social workers at each Primary Health Centre in the FCT.

    “We hope to replicate this in the six geopolitical zones of the country but for now we will start with North Central.

    “This project will be carried out in collaboration with the FCT Primary Healthcare Board,” Zion said.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    NAN

  • Boko Haram: VSF launches peace building project for Borno, Yobe

    Boko Haram: VSF launches peace building project for Borno, Yobe

    As part of the healing process after the devastating effect of the Boko Haram crisis in the northeast region of Nigeria ( in this case Borno and Yobe ), the Victims Support Fund (VSF) has launched a peace building project  the will promote  peace, security and social cohesion through  inter/intra religious peace building  among communities ravaged by the crisis.

    The Executive Director of VSF, Prof. Sunday Ochoche who lunched the project both in Borno and Yobe called on the people to begin to learn how to forgive one another in order to regain peace within the region.

    According to Prof. Ochoche who while addressing stakeholders at the  Musa Usman Secretariat complex in Maiduguri  said;  “Today’s peace building project; was designed to enhance peace, reconciliation and social cohesion in the society, particularly the ones affected by the eight-year Boko Haram insurgency that claimed many lives and property in Borno state.

    “While the campaigns of traditional and religious leaders; also sought to streamline the full implementation of various humanitarian interventions for rapid resettlement of Internally Displaced Persons ( IDPs ) in affected communities in the war ravaged region of northeast.

    “This project was to reconcile and forgive among members of the communities that were seriously hurt, destroyed and traumatized during eight-year insurgency period”.

    He explained further that implementation of the project; has already began  in Maiduguri Metropolitan Council (MMC) and Askira/Uba Local Government Area of Borno state, as a pilot peace building project, adding that, the  project will  be extended to insurgency affected states of Adamawa, Yobe, Gombe, Bauchi and Taraba.

    He disclosed that the  peace building process embarked upon by VSF  is a coordinated  strategy of  putting together the different interventions to fast track reconciliation, rehabilitation and cohesion among the various communities affected by insurgency.

    “We want people to return to their normal ways of living and smile again, live in confidence and sleep with their two eyes closed,” Prof Ochoche said.

    He mentioned some of the workable strategies to include  “pulling  and tapping  from available local and international resources in the state that could mitigate conflicts and promote  peace through; “Construction of networks of peace and conflict resolutions to achieve sustainable peace and development of communities affected by insurgency.”

    Prof. Ochoche noted that the project will facilitate and sustain a strong multi-levels forum for inter and intra religious and cultural dialogue and reconciliation, adding that, “this could enhance sustainable research and documentation on trends and dynamics of conflicts in the northeast”.

    At   Damaturu, Yobe State, Professor Sunday Ochoche again took his message of forgiveness, reconciliation and peace to the people of the state who gathered at the Cultural Centre in Damaturu in the view of spreading the message to the rural communities.

    He stressed that VSF will not relent in connecting the gaps that the insurgency has brough to the region through its comprehensive activities with the peace building project on the radar.

    He added that VSF  over the years has  rebuilt, reconstructed  and reconciled the affected persons in the north east and will not relent in restoring hope among the returning communities.

    “VSF has been actively involved in the peace building process in the north east over the years and we will continue to do that to achieve lasting peace.

    “We have been doing with economic, educational, health, and security components and everybody is doing his own to ensure that peace is been built in the returning communities because people have been divided around religious, political and other divides so this peace initiative will bring back the loss confidence in the minds of the people and that is actually what we are working on”, Prof. Ochoche said.

    Speaking on the level of the participation of stakeholders, Prof. Ochoche said, “so far has been excellent and assure that the objectives of the initiatives will be realized” as the stakeholders will work towards achieving the desired goals”.

    Both the representative of the Muslim community, Ustaz Hudu Mohammed and that of the Christian Association of Nigeria ( CAN ), Pastor Martin Ikem promised  to take the message to their followers on the need to forgive one another and  embrace peace at all times.

    The Nation recalled that VSF was established early 2014 by the Federal Government under its Presidential Initiative for the North-East (PINE) to assist and treat Boko Haram victims injured in the eight year insurgency.

    Since inception, it assisted six hospitals in the northeast and other parts of the country with funds to treat victims of terror attacks.

    In Borno State for instance, VSF has provided education support to 80,000 primary schools pupils displaced by Boko Haram insurgency and rebuild destroyed schools, health centres and public structures at in Bama and Dikwa as well as supported farmers in dry season farming in Borno and Yobe State.

  • FMBN supports Borno to rehabilitate houses destroyed by insurgents

    FMBN supports Borno to rehabilitate houses destroyed by insurgents

    The Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria ( FMBN ) said on Tuesday that it would support the government and people of Borno towards the rehabilitation of houses destroyed by insurgents in the state.

    Mr Ahmed Dangiwa, FMBN Managing Director disclosed this in Abuja during FMBN cheque presentation to beneficiaries of its Home Renovation Loan in Government House, Maiduguri, Borno.

    Dangiwa in a statement in Abuja called on the people of the state to take advantage of the privilege, especially the home renovation loan for the reconstruction of their houses destroyed by Boko Haram insurgency.

    The FMBN boss said that Borno was one of the states that urgently needed the loan to enable the people affected by the insurgency return to their houses.

    He assured the Borno government of the bank’s continued support in tackling its housing problems and also expressed satisfaction with the achievements recorded by the state despite the daunting challenge of insecurity.

    Responding, Gov. Kashim Shettima of Borno expressed appreciation for the bank’s readiness to support the state towards the rehabilitation of houses destroyed by insurgents.

    He said the state has already embarked on rehabilitation and rebuilding of houses destroyed by Boko Haram in an effort to bringing back displaced persons to their houses.

    Shetima called on the bank to come to its aid by building houses in Biu, Bama and Monguno to reduce the housing deficit in the areas.

    The governor also appealed to the bank to consider local contractors in the state while giving out jobs for housing construction.

    Not less than 81 employees in the state got one million naira each from the FMBN Home Renovation Loan.

    The bank also presented of food items to the State Government for the Internally Displaced Persons ( IDPs ) as the bank’s contribution towards improving the living conditions of the IDPs.

    NAN

  • Adamawa: Ex-PDP chairman, others in prison over IDPs food

    Adamawa: Ex-PDP chairman, others in prison over IDPs food

    A Federal High Court in Yola has ordered the remand of former Adamawa PDP Chairman, Alhaji Abdurrahman Bobboi, in prison for allegedly diverting food meant for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs).

    Also remanded were Mr Sanda Lamurde, a former Commissioner for Finance, and Feredan George, a former Chief Store Officer of the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA ).

    Justice Bilkisu Aliyu gave the order on Wednesday, at the hearing of a case of alleged forgery and stealing brought against the trio by the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC ).

    The accused are facing 16 charges bordering on forgery, theft and fraud.

    According to the EFCC Counsel, Mr Abubakar Aliyu, the suspects were arraigned following a petition received from members of Agricultural Transformation Agro-Allied Farmers Cooperative Union, Adamawa chapter.

    The union, in its petition to the EFCC, had alleged that the loan granted to Adamawa State farmers, from the Central Bank of Nigeria. were not disbursed to them.

    It claimed that the funds were diverted into the purchase of food for IDPs by the state government.

    Aliyu said that after investigation, the commission decided to arraign the suspects over the said transaction.

    He alleged that the accused persons took advantage of their membership of the State Committee on the Welfare of the IDPs, to perpetrate crime.

    According to him, Lamurde, who served under former governor Bala Ngillari, was the chairman of the committee while Abdurrahman Bobboi, a former Chief Protocol Officer to the governor, was a member.

    “The suspects conspired among themselves and diverted the funds amounting to N587 million released by the Adamawa State Government to buy food and  other basic needs of IDPs” he said.

    He said that the crime was committed between March and May, 2015.

    The judge, who adjourned the case to Nov. 10 for trial, ordered the accused persons to be remanded in prison custody pending the determination of their bail application.