No fewer than 11 out of the 25 local government areas of Niger State has 29,774 IDPs in various camps.
According to The PUNCH, the State Government has raised the alarm over the daily influx of internally displaced persons into the IDPs camps.
Speaking on Friday at the launch of the School to Kitchen Empowerment Items of the New-N-Power farmers, the state Commissioner for Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management, Ahmed Yumu, blamed insecurity for the situation.
It noted that primary and secondary school premises being used as temporary camps for displaced persons had become overstretched, leading to the disruption of teaching and learning.
He stated, “Niger State has the largest land mass in Nigeria and over 90 per cent of its people are farmers in view of the arable and well fertile land bestowed on us by God. The state has for so many years remained a force to reckon with when it comes to farming.
“All these are now becoming history, thanks to the incessant kidnappings, senseless killings, cattle rustling and others, which have forced our people from the rural areas to become internally displaced persons in many camps in 11 out of the 25 local governments we have in the state.
“The daily influx of internally displaced persons into various local government headquarters and towns by these displaced persons is so alarming and pathetic and the state government is now faced with providing all necessary amenities and food aside spending huge funds to fight the insecurity.”
He lamented the disruption to teaching in the schools used temporarily as camps, saying, “Our educational institutions, especially primary and secondary schools, which serve as temporary shelter for the displaced persons, are now overstretched and our children’s teaching and learning are being disrupted.”
He added, “As it stands today, there are 29,774 internally displaced persons comprising 7,650 women, 3201 men and 11,113 out-of-school children with an additional 108 people with special needs.
“We have in the last eight days, based on the directives of our amiable Governor Umar Mohammed Bago embarked on the distribution of special palliatives to various IDPs in Mariga, Kontagora, Mashegu, Rijau, Rafi, Mokwa and Munya while government is adopting kinetic and non-kinetic approach in restoring peace in and around our communities.”
