FG Distributes 2,000 Extra Bags of Foodstuff to Borno IDPs

Michael Olugbode in Maiduguri
The federal government on Tuesday delivered 2,000 bags of assorted food to the internally displaced persons (IDPs) camps in Borno State to mitigate hunger and malnutrition.

Delivering the items, which included bags of maize, rice and millet to the state Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) for immediate distribution to over 1.6 million IDPs at various resettlement camps in Maiduguri metropolis and Jere Local Government Area of the troubled state, the federal government emergency relief agency, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), said the daily feeding of IDPs had been re-introduced by the agency.

 The North-east Coordinator of the agency, Alhaji Mohammed Kanar, who delivered the items to the SEMA chairman at the zonal office of the agency in Maiduguri, disclosed that in the last three weeks, NEMA had resumed the daily feeding of IDPs following an outcry that some IDPs suffered severe malnutrition.

He said due to increase in number of IDPs after the liberation of some communities recently by the military, NEMA has to present additional 2,000 bags of food items to augment the monthly allocation of 8,000 bags earlier released.

Kanar said: “I want to state that IDPs issues is dynamic; we were here last three weeks and NEMA presented 8,000 assorted bags of food items, which is to cover a period of one month, unfortunately, SEMA tabled a complaint to my office that these food will not be enough as a result of continuous influx of IDPs in camps, and so, NEMA has to present additional 2,000 bags today (yesterday) to cater for the increasing number of the IDPs.

“We have been collaborating with SEMA and over 31 international partners/NGOs in managing these IDPs in the North-east, and I want to assure you that we are strategising as we have stockpiled enough food for onward distribution to other satellite camps in Banki, Konduga, Sabon Gari, Damboa, Dikwa, Bama, Biu among other liberated communities.”

Responding on behalf of the state government, SEMA Chairman, Ahmed Satomi, and Chairman Monitoring/ Distribution of Relief Items to IDPs in Borno Borno, Alhaji Mohammed Sani, in their separate remarks, thanked President Muhammadu Buhari, NEMA and other humanitarian agencies for complementing the efforts of the state government in managing the plights of the IDPs.

 They however asked the federal government to increase the intervention to include assisting the IDPs meet their social needs such as befitting schools, clothing and recreational facilities.
This they said would help in alleviating their psychological suffering.