5 Children Die at Sokoto IDPs Camp

Mohammed Aminu in Sokoto
At least five children have lost their lives at the internally displaced persons (IDPs) camp in Gandi town of Rabah Local Government Area of Sokoto State.

Chairman of the Sokoto State Zakkat and Endowment Commission and a member of the State Committee on Internally Displaced Persons , Malam Lawal Maidoki, confirmed the death of the five children, while briefing officials of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) that visited the camp on Friday.

Maidoki said the five persons that died were children, adding that adequate measures had been put in place to cater for the health care needs of the IDPs.

He stated that doctors and other medical personnel were now regularly attending to patients in the camp.
“The camp’s clinic is always available for the IDPs and in cases beyond the capacity of the clinic, we often refer them to tertiary hospitals for further treatment in Sokoto.

“We have also taken the census of all pregnant women in the camp. This is in order to ensure all of them attend ante-natal care for safe delivery,” he said.

He disclosed that no fewer than 40 women had delivered at the camp.
Maidoki added that the committee had disbursed over N 2.5 million to the families of 51 persons who died during the bandits’ attack in Tabbane village of Rabah local government area last week.

In his remarks, the Education Officer, UNICEF Sokoto Field Office, Malam Tukur Yabo, commended the state government for its effort in supporting the IDPs.

He said the officials were in the camp to support the victims and also interact with them to enable more UNICEF interventions and support.

The District Head of Gandi, Alhaji Muhammadu Maccido, expressed gratitude to UNICEF for their commitment towards enhancing the living standards of the IDPs at the camp.