Post-insurgency: We have less than 10,000 IDPs in Adamawa camps-Official
Mr Sa’ad Bello, the Coordinator, Adamawa/Taraba National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), on Friday, said there were
currently less than 10,000 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Adamawa camps.
Bello told the News Agency of Nigeria ( NAN) in Yola that there were, however, about
170,000 IDPs residing in host communities across the state.
He said that “there is significant reduction of IDPs living in camps in
the state; the number reduced from over 60,000 to less than 10,000.
“At the peak of the insurgency, the agency recorded over 480,000 IDPs
residing in host communities but now, there are about 170,000 IDPs
living within the host communities.”
The coordinator explained that the departure of many IDPs from camps led to closure of four camps out of the nine in the state.
On IDPs feeding and accommodation, he said it was being handled by NEMA, in collaboration with other humanitarian agencies.
He said each camp also had a clinic, where the IDPs were being attended to, while
those with serious ailments were being referred to Yola Specialist Hospital or the Federal Medical Centre, Yola.
He said “we also provide children with educational centre’s such as primary and Junior Secondary Schools.”
He noted that food and non-food items like mattresses, blankets,
mosquito nets, were also given to IDPs, as NEMA was also responsible for
water supply in all designated camps in the state.
He said the agency also encouraged the IDPs in various camps to
organise a group for daily, week-end and monthly sanitation of their
rooms and surroundings to ensure hygienic environment.
He said IDPs had the right to move in and out of the camp because they
had the right to interact with outside communities “but after obtaining a
pass.
“The IDPs have right to move in and out of the camps, but before they
move, they must be screened thoroughly by security operatives manning
the camps.
“The security in the camps usually provide gate pass for any IDP that wants to go out for security reasons.”
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