NIGERIA. Niger State: The Niger Christain Youth Forum has donated relief materials to Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Gwada, Shiroro local government area of Niger state.
The relief materials include yam, maize, palm oil, vegetable oil, rice, beans, items of clothing, seasoning, semovita, and washing detergent.
The youths led by the Chairman of the Forum, Alexander Haruna Tsado made the donations to Christain groups in the IDP camp.
Speaking during the donation, Tsado expressed the sympathy of the members of the forum urging the displaced people not to be discouraged about their suituation as God will intervene in the security challenges bedeviling the state.
“It is not easy to leave where you know as your homes, where you have grown, where your heritage is and be displaced is not easy. We pray to God to take away this plague of insecurity from us. The Forum encourages you not to be discouraged. We pray for God intervention in this situation.”
He stated that the donation was contributed by all the members of the forum adding that it is the first leg as more will come soon.
Receiving the relief materials on behalf of others, Pastor Joseph Amos appreciated the gesture saying that it will go a long way in meeting their needs.
He noted that one of the problems affecting them is hunger and lack of money to meet their basic needs adding that although relief materials are coming but it is rarely enough because of the large number of people in the camp.
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Amos further said that the people want to return to their homestead appealing to the government to work out ways towards addressing the insecurity in communities across Shiroro and Munya local government areas to enable them to return home.
IDP camps in Shiroro and Munya
Transcontinental Times discovered that Shiroro local government area of Niger state has 25 IDP camps where people who have been displaced from various communities in the local government areas now reside.
Most of the IDP camps are public schools and the IDPs sleep in the classes.
In the past, there were only three camps, Gwada, Kuta and Zumba camps but the recent surge of attacks in communities increased the number of IDPs which gave rise to an increase in the number of IDP camps.
Recently, some of the IDPs had on the 5th of May returned to their various communities believing that all is safe but they were forced to return to the IDP camps on the 6th as their communities came under fresh attacks.
For the Munya local government, 11 wards are affected with over 1500 people displaced. The IDPs are staying in schools in Sarkin Pawa which is the headquarters of Munya local government area.
Local government Officers bemoans increasing number of IDPs
The acting Chairman of Shiroro local government council, Honourable Isiaku Bawa has lamented that the situation in Shiroro local government area.
He said that the situation is getting worst pointing that eight wards out of the 15 wards in the council have been affected.
“The situation is getting worst as they are even attacking as we speak. We need government intervention just like they promised so that our people can go back to their villages. We need more military presence now because the rainy season will soon start.
“There are 25 IDP camps in Shiroro local government as all primary and secondary schools in the council have been occupied by the IDPs,” Bawa said.
Also, the Chairman of the Munya local government, Honorable Garba Muhammed said that a lot of people have been dislocated from their communities in the local government Council.
He noted that a lot of help is needed in the area of security adding that they have learnt that if there is adequate security to ward off the bandits, they will leave the people alone.
“The recent attacks on Sarkin Pawa, the headquarters of Munya local was repelled by the men of vigilantes, Mopol and soldiers. They faced the bandits and sent them back to the bush. The people in the town have not experienced such again.”
Don’t Lose Faith in Us – Niger Govt
In a recent press statement, the Niger State Governor, Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello pleaded with the people not to lose faith in government as it is doing its best to address the insecurity in the state.
He stated that the government has not abadoned the people but is working earnestly to ensure that they return back to their home safely.
The statement which was condoling the families of victims of a boat mishap, some of which are IDPs, read, “I want you to know that the State and the federal governments have not abandoned you, and God too has not either, you should see what is happening now, as trying moments which will soon pass by the grace of God.
“I am telling you the truth, we are making every necessary effort in addition to the weekly special prayers we have started to ensure that all the criminal elements in our State are flushed out”.
The governor then assured that all is being done to make the IDPs peacefully settled down in their ancestral homes.
