Boko Haram: IDPs Rehabilitation Possible Only After Crisis, Says NEMA

SAN FRANCISCO, April 02, (THEWILL) - The rehabilitation of over 250,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the North-eastern part of the country as a result of the Boko Haram insurgency could only be done after the crisis is over.

The Northeastern coordinator of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Alhaji Mohammed Kanar, stated this on Wednesday.

He was speaking in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, while giving relief materials to people recently displaced from various communities in the state.

The coordinator maintained that the rehabilitation of the displaced persons back to their homes can only be done when the crisis is fully over and the security of the people is assured.

He said even if the agency was ready to build the razed buildings and resettle the people back, it was going to be hard to convince the people to stay as they would likely be afraid of renewed attacks.

Assuring the displaced persons that the agency was ready to continue to make relief materials available to them until they are fully rehabilitated, Kanar disclosed that the agency have attended to over 200,000 persons of the total 250,000 persons displaced in the Northeast .

He said the relief was ongoing and NEMA would reach out to everyone, insisting that no one will be left out in the government's gesture.

Kanar explained that 2,800 persons will be attended to during the flag off of direct distribution of relief materials in Maiduguri from the targeted 6,000 persons in the town.

He said those to be attended to are displaced residents of Mafa, Konduga, Bama, Jakana, Alajari, Mainok, Sandiya, Yasku, Kuruk, Maiwa, Kawuri and Malari areas of the state who are presently sheltered at facilities in Maiduguri or living with relatives or friends within the town.

Three truck loads of assorted relief materials were brought for distribution to the displaced persons at Hajj camp in Maiduguri during the exercise.