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From Okwe Obi, Abuja
A report released by PRNigeria, an advocacy group, has claimed that ten thousand Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), in Chonoko village, Danku/Wasagu Local Government Area, Kebbi State live in penury.
The report, titled: ‘Special Reports on Humanitarian Situations and Plights of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs),’ disclosed that villagers lacked portable which had led to residents struggle to outdo one another at the two available boreholes within the community.
Presenting its findings yesterday in Abuja, PRNigeria official, Ya’u Mukhtar Madobi, said the report also targeted Rafi Local Government Area, Niger State in July 2022, where bandits had wrecked havoc.
“Chonoko town is suffering from lack of potable water supply as investigation showed that the IDPs and the residents battle to get water for domestic purposes from the only two available boreholes present within the community.
“In fact, people used to spend the night queueing in order to get water for their daily needs.
“With regard to the shelter, the IDPs are living in an overcrowded settlement where a single room is being occupied by up to more than 15 persons.
“This called for a great concern because disease becomes easily transmitted in this type of under-spaced environment, thus threatening the healthcare system.
“The over 10, 000 Chonoko IDPs are living under hardships as they lack basic necessities of life. These include but not limited to adequate food, shelter, medications, clothes, detergents and other vital household items necessary for living a good life,” he said.
Madobi urged “government and security forces should sustain their efforts towards restoring peace and security to the affected communities
“The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants, and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI) should look into the situation of these IDPs by providing them with relief materials.
“These items should include; foodstuff, detergents, clothes, wrappers, mattresses etc. Also, agricultural inputs such as fertilizers, chemicals, seeds etc. should also be distributed in order to improve agricultural activities.
“Provision of medical supplies should be considered in order to ensure the delivery of a robust and sound healthcare system. This will go a long way in averting diseases outbreak and other emergencies.
“Efforts should be outlined and implemented toward rescuing the dwindling educational sector, thereby absorbing back the school drop outs from the streets which is necessary for averting future security breaches.
“International donor agencies including the International Red Cross Society (IRCS) and other likes should intervene in the awful situation of the IDPs, especially in providing them with adequate shelter so as to reduce too much population in their overcrowded settlements.
“There should be transparency and open disclosure in distribution of relief materials to the vulnerable persons in the affected communities
Kagara/Niger.”
