North East: Increasing IDPs Overwhelming NEMA, Says Agency

Source: thewillnigeria.com

SAN FRANCISCO, August 25, (THEWILL) - The daily increase in the number of internally displaced persons (IDPs) as a result of the Boko Haram insurgency is now overwhelming the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) .

The Agency disclosed this Monday, saying its relief camps in the Northeast are being overwhelmed by the daily influx of internally displaced persons with the insurgents continuing their attacks on communities.

NEMA noted that Boko Haram attack on Madagali, Adamawa State, a town which has been host to many fleeing victims of insurgency from captured Gwoza town in Borno, has led to another challenge for the agency.

The information officer of the agency in the Northeast, Mallam AbdulKadir Ibrahim, who disclosed this said NEMA is currently faced with the challenge of establishing more camps for the displaced as a result of the attack on Madagali.

Whileassuring that that the North-East Zonal office of NEMA will continue to provide succour for victims of Boko Haram attacks from Gwoza local government that presently taking refuge in different IDPs camps in Adamawa State, Ibrahim said all that was needed to cater for the growing challenge would be deployed for the use of the IDPs.

He disclosed that a team led by the North-East zonal coordinator of the agency, Alhaji Muhammed Kanar, has continued to take charge of the humanitarian crisis situation in the affected areas.

According to Ibrahim, the team which has established a mobile unit having relocated from the Maiduguri zonal office over five days ago, has been on the ground, delivering relief materials to the fleeing residents of Gwoza at the various IDPs camps both in Borno and Adamawa States.

Ibrahim said with some IDPs now fleeing to Yola, the Adamawa State capital, the agency has started to work with Adamawa State Emergency Management Agency to not only keep track of the victims of the insurgency attacks but to get relief materials to them.

He disclosed that the team was at the IDPs camp in Askira Uba at the weekend to deliver various relief items to the IDPs there.

According to him, “The team is working in conjunction with the Adamawa State emergency management agency which has also reported a new influx of the Gwoza IDPs to Yola, the state capital. The new IDPs are camped at Karewa Primary School and the Labour House in Jimeta.

“The executive secretary of ADSEMA, Haruna Furo, has told NEMA that preparations are in top gear to transfer the IDPs to a central location at the NYSC camp in Yola, the state capital.”

Ibrahim however said the new influx of IDPs was caused by reported new Boko Haram attacks in Madagali town Madagali LGA of Adamawa State.