Senate President to probe diversion of IDP foodstuff

The Senate President, Bukola Saraki has called for a probe into the allegations that relief materials belonging to Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) are being diverted.

He said “Such reports are totally unacceptable. The inspector-general of police must immediately take action and bring all those that have carted away relief materials meant for the people of the North East to book.”

Saraki also assured the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) that the security situation in the North-East will be reviewed.

Adding that “UNICEF’s decision to press on in the North East despite last Thursday’s attack is truly commendable. On our part, the Nigerian government must back the resolve of our international partners with greater coordination platforms in terms of security for aid workers and thorough mandate mapping exercises to ensure that we are meeting the needs of those in crisis areas."

READ: 1.7m children malnourished in the North

In June 2016, the Borno State Government directed security agencies to investigate the alleged diversion of large quantities of rice meant for feeding Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the state.

There were reports also, that the Governor of Borno, Kashim Shettima was trapped in his office when police officers and soldiers engaged in a shootout over the distribution of bags of rice allegedly meant for IDPs.

The 2016 Global Nutrition Report has revealed that 1.7m children in 11 states of Northern Nigeria are malnourished.

See video of malnourished children suffering in IDP camps.