We need land to farm, female IDPs plead

Some women in the Internally Displaced Persons (IPDs) camp in Gudun Fulani Community in Bauchi State have pleaded with the state government to provide them with farmlands as the rainy reason sets in.

They made the appeal in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Bauchi.

Hajiya Fatima Alhaji alleged that the state government had not been assisting them with food and shelter hence they need land to cultivate to feed themselves.

According to her, food and shelter are major challenges confronting the IDPs.

"We are pleading with the Bauchi State Government to please provide us with farmlands to enable us reduce the economic burden we are facing.

"Since we came here a year ago, we have not being assisted in any way. Only Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) come to assist us with clothes and promise to train us in trades.

"We pay rent of about N12, 000 each year here in Gudun and since we do not have a means of generating income, we are prepared to go back to farm.

"Back home, farming is our occupation,’’ she said.

She also said some of the women in the camp had to resort to fetching firewood to sell to earn a living.

Also, Mrs Aisha Umar said that farming would enable them fend for their families.

Umar said they had remained idle in the IDPs camp since there was nothing else they could do and pleaded with the state government to provide them land to farm.