The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Internally Displaced Persons

  • Firm donates products to IDP camp

    The Global CEO, Royal FrieslandCampina, The Netherlands, Mr. Hein Schumacher, has donated dairy products and education materials to Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) at the Durumi IDP Camp, Abuja.

    Schumacher made the donation as part of the four months nutrition outreach of FrieslandCampina WAMCO Nigeria to the IDP camp.

    He was accompanied by President, Consumer Dairy, Royal FrieslandCampina, The Netherlands, Roel van Neerbos; Managing Director, FrieslandCampina WAMCO Nigeria, Ben Langat; and Corporate Affairs Director, FrieslandCampina WAMCO Nigeria, Ore Famurewa.

    Schumacher made the donation through the Nigerian Red Cross Society, which will be fully accountable for the distribution of the products and also deliver the project with care.

    Speaking at the occasion, Schumacher said FrieslandCampina was committed to its purpose, ‘Nourishing by Nature,’ which focuses on improving the overall health and nutrition status of populations where it operates.

    “As a company, we want to provide better nutrition for the world, we understand that a significant portion of the world’s population is faced with undernourishment; milk is filled with a lot of essential nutrients and can make a positive contribution towards solving this challenge,” Schumacher said.

    Famurewa explained that the donation was aimed at improving the nutritional status of over 400 vulnerable children living in the camp and aged four to 15 years. Each child in this age bracket is to receive a daily serving of highly fortified and nutritious Peak milk from September 7 till the end of the year.

    “Through the years, our company has built a strong legacy on giving back to the society and this culture is preserved in our sustainability strategy and policy. With this symbolic donation, we are supporting government’s effort in solving issues of malnutrition and ensuring reduction of prevalent non-communicable diseases, by providing quality dairy nutrition,” Famurewa said.

    The Executive Secretary of Nigeria Red Cross Society, Abuja Branch, Mr. Simeon Nwaubani, in his remarks, thanked the company for the support given to the displaced persons, while highlighting the charitable roles organisations can play in helping needy communities.

  • Flood: ‘Why we don’t want to relocate to IDP camps’

    As flood continues to ravage many communities in Anambra State following steady downpour, many affected communities have refused to heed to the call by the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) to relocate to the Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps.

    As a result of the natural disaster, socio-economic activities have been completely shut down in the affected communities, while those residing in areas yet to be affected were sleeping with one eye closed.

    No fewer than 10 communities in Anambra West Local Government Area alone have been submerged by the flood.

    Even when few simply relocated to neighbouring towns yet to be affected, and some to upland within the community, majority are still trapped in their locations.

    Southeast Report reliably gathered that the refusal of the residents to heed to the call by the SEMA may not be unconnected with the cost implications of relocation.

    Those who spoke to our correspondent lamented the distance of the camps from the communities as well as the condition of the camps.

    They said some of the IDP camps were under construction, appealing to government to set up emergency response unit in the area.

    The President-General of Innoma Community, Mr Patrick Ugboja, said his community was in dire need of emergency intervention to avoid loss of lives.

    He said many residents of the area could not afford the cost of relocation to various IDP camps set up by state government as the camps were far from the communities.

    “We appeal to NEMA/SEMA and the state government to assist in relocating us to IDP camps, which are far from us as most of us cannot afford the cost of transporting ourselves there,’’ Ugboja said.

    Also speaking, President-General of Nzam Communnity, Prince Uche Okolo, lamented that about 40 per cent of the community’s landmass had been taken over by flood.

    “Most of our people affected have been relocated to dry lands not yet affected. Our farms and crops have been completely destroyed,’’ he said.

    According to him, their IDP camp was undergoing construction, even as he called for an emergency response unit to rescue people who might be trapped.

    In Olumbanasa Community, which is made up of Odeh, Odekpe, Igbokenyi, and Egbede villages, schools, churches and farmlands were adversely affected.

    President-General of the community, Mr Lawrence Nnachor, revealed that farm produce and economic trees worth millions of naira had been destroyed by the disaster.

    He noted that Odeh village was the most affected by the ravaging flood, appealing to government to assist in relocating inhabitants of the community.

    At Umueze Anam, virtually 60 per cent of households and farm lands have been affected.

    A community leader in the area, Mr Chinwuba Muoba said: “The flood is coming with high current and about 60 per cent of houses in our community are completely submerged.

    “Most of the people affected have relocated to neighbouring towns yet to be affected, while some have relocated to upland within the community.

    He explained that they were not ignorant of the holding centres within the locality, but said they were yet to move because the volume of flood had not reached alarming proportions.

    On his part, a counsellor in Mmiata Anam, Mr Osita Uduaka, Ifite-Anam, Mmata, Umuoba-Abegu and Iyioraa, described the flood as serious threat to their lives as appreciable percentage of inhabitants had already been affected.

    “We appeal to government to evacuate our people in case of emergency,’’ Uduaka said.

    Southeast Report further gathered that five communities-Ezi-Anam, Umuikwu, Umudora, Umuewelum-Anam and Oroma-Etiti-Anam have been completely submerged by the flood as the inhabitants were spotted vacating the areas.

    The story was not different in Igala-speaking communities of the council area where not less than 80 per cent of Innoma residents had their farmlands and household items destroyed by the raging flood.

  • Oyo to develop, manage public spaces

    Oyo State government has concluded plans with the organised private sector to take control of available public spaces in its urban regeneration master plan.

    The initiative codenamed Management of Public Spaces (MOPS) is designed to offer organisations in default of government regulations, possible solutions that limit disruption but provide an opportunity for private organisations to get involved in the exercise either to promote their brands or as corporate social responsibility projects.

    The Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Mr. Isaac Ishola revealed this during a stakeholders’ interactive forum organised to enlighten stakeholders on the MOPS Scheme. The event held at the Western Hall, House of Assembly Complex, Agodi Secretariat Ibadan at the weekend.

    He said the scheme will help the government, with the involvement of the private sector, to develop and manage public spaces by identifying and documenting all public spaces, eliminating encroachers, securing the sites and keeping them beautiful and environmentally friendly for residents.

    The interactive forum was attended by government agencies, parastatals, corporate organisations and relevant stakeholders.

    According to the commissioner, the government is also concluding arrangement to move all destitute, mentally challenged and street urchins across the state to the Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camp at Akanran, Ona Ara Local government Area for rehabilitation.

    He said: “MOPS is a tool for rejuvenating Oyo State at a little cost to tax payers and with minimum disruption to daily commercial activities.

    “MOPS will help to update government data on public spaces and to secure all such areas. This way, trespassers and miscreants can be removed from parks and make them safer for public use and available for development.

    “MOPS will also reinforce the activities of other state agencies such as waste management, transport management and signage. These are the agencies that are responsible for enforcing regulations on the proper use of public spaces to ensure a cleaner, healthier and more orderly environment.

    “In addition, MOPS will ensure that beautification and horticultural works on designated routes and parks are developed and always maintained. This will increase the value of adjacent private properties and also make the vicinity attractive for development.”

    He called on the corporate organisations to take advantage of the new scheme, especially the well-manicured areas for branding and promotion of their products and brands.

    Explaining what constitutes public spaces, the Director-General, Bureau for Planning and Development Control, Mr. Waheed Gbadamosi, represented by a director in the agency, S.P. Taiwo, said roads, including pavements, public squares, parks and beaches make up public spaces.

    He said: “In land use planning, open space is any open piece of land that is undeveloped, that has no building or other built structures that are accessible to the public.”

    He regretted that most of the public spaces in major towns and cities are being largely misused through unauthorised conversion to residences and business places; unauthorised parking lots by commercial concerns whose buildings lack parking provisions; unauthorised markets and garages and unauthorised garbage dump sites.

    He pointed out that the physical and mental health benefits of using green open spaces are becoming ever more apparent to governments and citizens, saying “the introduction of MOPS is quite timely and important because it is vital for cities to find ways to preserve, manage and create a new public/open spaces.”

  • Women lawyers to Buhari: end killings

    African Women Lawyers As-sociation (AWLA) has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to find a lasting solution to incessant killings in the North.

    In a statement by its President, Mandy Asagba, the group said: “We condemn in its entirety the incessant and needless killings of people and destruction of property in the Middle Belt and its environs by Fulani Herdsmen and bandits, as well as the near absence of protection of the people by the Authorities charged with the responsibility of providing safety and security of its citizenry.

    “We call on the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and all the necessary security agencies, to put an end to these killings with immediate effect, and provide adequate and tight security in all the affected areas, schools, and other public places, as well as farm lands.

    “We also demand that the perpetrators be prosecuted, to prevent further violence. We desire also that Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) are given adequate protection and care, especially the women and children, who are the worst hit. We call on all Nigerians to lend a helping hand to the victims of these attacks, who are living in fear, hopelessness and hunger.

    “We commiserate with families of the victims, and pray that the Lord grant them the fortitude to bear this irreparable loss. We are also appealing to well meaning citizens, who can assist with information, to please, send such information to the appropriate authorities.

    “In addition, we suggest that the governors of the affected states, should be proactive. They should think outside the box. They have security funds which can be channelled towards providing adequate security to their citizens.

    “It is clear that some of these herders/bandits may not be Nigerians, so our borders must have adequate security. They should take a cue from the Lagos State Government, by setting up Security Trust Funds. They should also collaborate with the government from neighbouring countries they share borders with, to tighten security,” AWLA stated.

  • Edo IDPs in need of anti-malaria drugs

    Internally Displaced Persons in Edo State have said they are in need of anti-malaria and anti-biotics drugs.

    They said they are also in need of learning materials and disposable Hand gloves.

    Coordinator of the IDPs camp at the International Christian Centre at Uhuogua, Pastor Solomon Folorunso, stated this when members of the Aviary club of Nigeria, donated relief items to the camp.

    Pastor Solomon disclosed that there were about 3000 displaced persons at the camp and between 10-15 bags of rice are cooked per meal to feed them.

    Coordinator of the Aviary Club, Barrister Hope Iyare said the visit was a way of giving back and showing support to the needy in the society to  climax  its founders day anniversary activities.

    Read Also: Creating opportunities for IDPs through agric

    Iyare praised Pastor Solomon for giving displaced persons a better life.

    He said, “We are here on this visit to make our contributions and show appreciation through these relief items to you for caring for these ones who have been displaced by Boko Haram Insurgency.

    “What you are doing here has assured you of heavens. We can’t compare you to Christ. But we would describe you as Christ like. Though Christ fed over five thousand but today you are feeding over three thousand displaced persons in the campaign. Trust me some notable persons among us would come back and do more”

    Items distributed include Bags of Rice, Beans, Garri, Indomie noddus, clothes and others.

  • Gombe YESSO identifies 41,871 poor, vulnerable persons in 3 LGAs

    Gombe State office of Nigeria Youth Empowerment and Social Support Operation ( YESSO ) has identified 41,871 poor and vulnerable persons from three local government areas of the state to be assisted.

    Mr Melton Sundu, the Monitoring and Evaluation officer of YESSO Gombe disclosed this to the News men in Gombe on Tuesday.

    Sundu said the figure was derived from 15,342 households in Balanga Nafada and Yamaltu-Deba local government areas.

    He said out of the number identified, 12, 559 were already uploaded on its website, adding that the organisation was currently working on the remaining figures.

    He said the aim of the exercise was to obtain a single register of the poor and vulnerable persons in the state to effectively assist them.

    According to him, the programme is designed by the Federal Government in collaboration with the World Bank to address the rate of poverty among individuals and to empower the youths.

    “The register will make things easier whenever the need arises to assist them,’’ he said.

    Read Also: Dankwambo…Architect of transformed Gombe at 56

    Sundu said the organisation would soon capture the remaining eight local government areas in Gombe, to ascertain number of poor and vulnerable in the state.

    He said the organisation had also gotten number of Internally Displaced Persons ( IDPs ) in the state from the National Emergency Management Agency ( NEMA ) and State Emergency Management Agency ( SEMA ).

    The monitoring and evaluation officer said the exercise was to verify and authenticate the number of IDPs in the state that would benefit from the Federal Government’s packages for those who want to go back to their homes.

    He said packages such as relocation, settlement and feeding were available to the IDPs by the state in collaboration with the Federal Government.

    “But those who do not want to go back to their respective states they are only entitled to feeding.’’

    NAN

  • Nasarawa to rebuild communities destroyed by herdsmen

    Gov. Umaru Al-Makura of Nasarawa State said on Friday that the government would soon start rebuilding communities destroyed by terrorist attacks in the state.

    Al-Makura told newsmen in Lafia that the effort of the Federal Government had yielded results and that peace was gradually returning to most of the affected communities.

    “We would soon embark on the rehabilitation and reconstruction of some of the houses destroyed and provide security bases among clusters of community settlements to assuage the fear of insecurity,” Al-Makura said.

    He noted that although some of the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) had returned home, others were still taking refuge in camps.

    “We are really concerned about the people still in IDP camps because there is no amount of relief material you can offer in the camp that is equitable with their abode,” he said.

    Al-Makura pointed out that it would be irresponsible of any government to demand that the IDPs returned home where their security could not be guaranteed.

    Read Also: Nasarawa Assembly wants Akwe-Doma immortalised

    “So, we are working tirelessly with the security agencies to ensure that all those in IDP camps return to their homes.

    “We must be sure that when they go back, there would be no relapse of security.

    He said the major challenge at the moment was the apprehension being entertained by the displaced persons.

    “We are trying so hard to erase the fear of the unknown from the psyche of the people given the efforts by the security forces.

    The governor, however, said the State Government would continue to provide needed assistance to the displaced persons, pending when they would be safe enough to return to their homes.

    The News men reports that over 25,000 people were displaced, due to bloody attacks along Nasarawa/Benue border communities.

    NAN

  • Committee conducts surgery on 38 patients in Taraba

    The Presidential Committee on North-East Initiatives ( PCNI ) says it has so far conducted surgeries on 38 out of the 2,000 patients it treated in Taraba, under the one week free medical outreach scheme.

    Dr Gabriel Toma, Head of Surgeons, who disclosed this to journalists in Takum, said the surgeries include appendectomy, hernia, Myomectomy, caesarean section among others.

    He said the scheme, which began on Tuesday, might not reach the 170 target surgeries, given the limitation of personnel and the curfew imposed on the area.

    Toma, however, assured that the team would try its best to conduct qualitative surgeries within the time available.

    Also speaking, PCNI’s Head of Humanitarian, Rehabilitation and Resettlement, Dr Sidi Mohammed, said the free medical outreach initiative was aimed at reaching out to the less privileged in the society.

    He said the scheme focused especially on those who fled insurgency in the North-East.

    “At the height of the insurgency, most people, including health workers were displaced and could not afford to pay medical bills.

    ‘’ So the programme is designed to reach out to such categories of people.

    “We have another medical programme specifically for those in Internally Displaced Persons ( IDPs ) camps, but only 10 per cent of the displaced people are in the camps.

    Read Also: The President goes to Taraba

    ”So that is why we are here in General Hospital, Takum to reach out to as a many as possible.
    “During our one week outreach programme here, we will be treating people of various ailments and conducting minor and major surgeries and attending to other health needs of the people,” he said.

    The News men reports that the scheme is in collaboration with Pro-Health International and the West African Association of Surgeons.

    He said PCNI had conducted free medical outreach in Borno, Yobe, Bauchi, Gombe, Adamawa and Taraba under the first phase of the scheme.

    Mohammed also said the second phase of the programme would commence on April 8, to last for two weeks, adding that it meant to enhance people’s greater accessibility to health.

    Mrs Juliet Hananiya, Programme, Manager, Free Health Care, Pro-Health International, said the partnership which began in 2017 had helped a lot of patients suffering from hypertension, ulcer, diabetes, malaria, among others.

    One of the beneficiaries of the programme, Mr Richard Sak, who said he battled hernia for six years, commended the Federal Government and its partners for the assistance.

    NAN

  • Living conditions in IDPs camps deplorable, unbearable – Ortom

    Living conditions in IDPs camps deplorable, unbearable – Ortom

    Gov Samuel Ortom has decried the ‘deplorable conditions’ of the camps hosting people displaced by the incessant attacks on Benue rural communities, and called for urgent measures to address the situation.

    “The camps are terrible; the living conditions there are nauseating. Something urgent must be done to assist the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs),” Ortom said on Thursday.

    Ortom spoke in Makurdi when he received members of the Sir Ahmadu Bello Foundation, led by is chairman, Babangda Aliyu, at the Banquet hall of the Benue People’s House, Makurdi.

    He said that 60 per cent of the IDPs were children who had missed examinations and did not know when to return to school.

    ” The facilities at the camps are inadequate and too deplorable to provide minimum comfort for these children.

    “The attacks keep going on and more people are fleeing their homes and taking refuge in the camps, making them overcrowded.

    “In spite of the presence of “Exercise Cat Race”, herders are still killing and displacing local farmers from their ancestral homes.

    “The Benue people are law abiding and have refrained from resorting to violence even at the height of provocation, but we cannot continue like this,” he said.

    He called on members of the foundation to appeal to the federal government to pursue justice for his people.

    “All we ask of the federal government is justice, the rule of law and an end to impunity. We have suffered too much in the hands of the herders who carry out these attacks against our people with impunity.

    ” Between 2012 and 2018, we have had 47 attacks on Benue communities. Lives and property worth millions have been lost, but in spite of these attacks, we have remained law abiding.”

    He said it was difficult to revive grazing routes, and called on herdsmen in the state to obey the anti-open grazing law.

    Also speaking, Ortom’s predecessor and deputy chairman of the foundation, Gabriel Suswam, commended the people for supporting their governor on the law, and assured them that the foundation would relay their message to the government.

    He assured Ortom of his support toward achieving peace in the state.

    “I will work with Gov Ortom towards achieving peace in the state; our party differences will not affect this commitment.

    “It was the Tor Tiv that ordered me to work with the governor to ensure peace in the state. As someone who has received so much from the state, I have to obey.”

    Suswam appealed to the federal government to work out modalities toward halting the influx of foreign herders in the country.

    “The killings in the country seem to get worse everyday. Government must rise to this challenge,” he said. (NAN)

  • 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.