Almost 2 million people still displaced

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April 25, 2016 12:22 PM

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) said a total of 1, 934, 765 displaced persons are currently living in formal camps, host communities and satellite camps in liberated communities.

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The displaced persons are as a result of the Boko Haram insurgency in Nigeria North Eastern States of Borno, Yobe, Taraba, Gombe, Bauchi and Adamawa states.

The Yola Camp Coordinator, Saad Bello, who, on behalf of the Director General of NEMA, Muhammad Sani Sidi, stated this when he took the United States Ambassador to the United Nations, Samanthan Power, round the facilities at Malkohi IDP Camp in Yola, Adamawa State on Saturday, April 23, 2016. He said there were 32 formal camps in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa States with a total of 189, 783 IDPs. “Borno has 19 camps with 150, 858 IDPs; Yobe has 9 camps with 31, 988 IDPs and Adamawa 4 camps with 6, 937 IDPs,” Saad Bello was quoted in a statement signed by Sani Datti, NEMA’s Information Officer issued on 24 April 2016.

The Camp Coordinator added that there were 14 satellite camps in liberated communities, mainly in Borno State with 216, 184 IDPs. The camps with the highest population are Ngala with 70, 505; Dikwa 53, 636; Bama 27, 000 and Damboa/Sabon Gari 25, 311.

Saad said host communities in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states have a total of 1, 391, 613 IDPs. Borno state has the highest with 1, 158, 362; Adamawa 125, 689 and Yobe 107, 562.

He said “Federal Government through the coordinating agency, NEMA and relevant line Ministries, Departments and Agencies have been trying to meet the needs of the IDPs in the provision of food, nutrition, non-food items (NFIs), temporary shelter, medicament, psycho-social therapy, security and protection.”According to him, government continued in the efforts to meet the needs of the IDPs, more supports were critically required for the IDPs across the three identified kinds of camps before they return back to their communities.

The critical areas where further support is needed are food, non-food items (including basic household needs), shelter, WASH, education, nutrition, protection, health and sexual reproductive health, and psycho-social helps.

The U.S. Ambassador to UN, Samanthan Power, who led a high level delegation from US to the Malkohi IDPs camp and host communities told them that they were there to determine what more could be done to defeat Boko haram so that they can return back to their communities.

“I know how difficult these last years have been for you and on behalf of President Barack Obama, I express my sympathy and my condolences for all you have lost and our resolve to try to make things better together”, she said.

Pulse gathered that most of the IDPs camps were full of women and young girls who suffered assaults from the Boko Haram insurgents. Many women abducted and forcefully married, their tales were that of agony and pains in the hands of the Boko Haram fighters.

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