By Rita Elenwo
The Federal Government has disclosed plans to commence the relocation of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) and other vulnerable groups to permanent resettlement camps across the country.
The Federal Government also said plans are underway to evacuate Nigerians in Cameroon, Niger, and Sudan to Nigeria.
It also said refugees in Nigeria willing to return to their countries would be evacuated soon.
This was disclosed by the federal commissioner of the National Commission for Refugees Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI), Tijani Ahmed during a visit and distribution of relief items to those residing in Durumi, Wassa, and New Karshi IDP camps and host communities in the FCT.
The camps and communities currently accommodate over 12,000 IDPs from Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe states.
On plans to resettle the IDPs, Ahmed said: “The IDPs cannot continue to live in camps till eternity. We have to find a way to ensure that we give them a lasting solution and that is by relocating them to resettlement camps. If we allow them to remain the way they are; it will be the beginning of more troubles for this country and that is why this government is making efforts to ensure that those in the IDP camps are catered to.
“The commission has commenced construction of permanent camps in Nasarawa, Zamfara, Kano, Maiduguri, Katsina, and Edo States and we will ensure that we build more to ensure that most of our IDPs and the refugees are settled because we cannot continue to maintain them in the IDP camps.
“In the next few days, we will start giving out those estates built by the commission to the IDPs. So, we are exiting the camps by the construction of the resettlement camps in the six states, so any moment from now, the IDPs will be exited and they will be trained on various skills so that they can be independent without relying on the government. We plan to expand the resettlement camps such that they can house about 20,000 households in each of the states.”
On those outside the country, he said: “Arrangement is on the ground to repatriate our people in Cameroon and to send back those who are here and want to go back to their countries and by the grace of God, they will all exit the camps soon.
“We have about 10,000 of them that we are going to repatriate from Cameroon to Nigeria. For Sudan and Niger, we have about 7000 of them. For the foreigners, some of them have been In Kano state particularly those from Sudan and we are making efforts to send them back.”
On the status of the IDPs in the camps visited, the Federal Commissioner said: “We have about 2,700 IDPs in Durumi camp, we have over 7000 people in Wassa, and in New Karshi, we have nothing less than 2000 of them.
“Our purpose is to distribute critical support in the form of agricultural inputs, educational supplies, and food care packs. As our nation celebrates its 63rd Independence Day, we renew our unwavering commitment to addressing the pressing needs of internally displaced persons (IDPs).
“Our resolve is clear; no one, regardless of their gender, age, or vulnerabilities, should be left without vital support, echoing the President’s renewed Hope Agenda. The importance of assisting IDPs cannot be overstated. Neglecting those in displacement can have profound social and economic consequences for both the displaced and their host communities.
The items distributed during the visit include; “97 bags of 25kg rice, 97 cartons of spaghetti, 97 bags of 1kg semovita, 20 cartons of groundnut oils, 26 cartons of Maggi, 22 cartons of salt.
“400 dozen customised exercise books, 180 pairs of school sandals,10 pieces of Whiteboards, 10 pieces of Whiteboard dusters,180 customised school bags, 180 customised plastic chairs, and tables, biros, and pencils. The agricultural materials are; pesticide packs, herbicides, insecticides, sprayers, and irrigation pumps.”
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