Boko Haram: Commission begin resettlement of IDPs in Oct

The National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons says plans are under way to relocate and resettle Internally Displaced Persons to their communities.

Musa Kangiwa, the Assistant Director in charge of IDPs at the commission, made this known in an interview with newsmen on Thursday in Abuja.

Kangiwa said the commission had embarked on a pre-relocation exercise across camps in the FCT to identify IDPs who were ready to return to their communities.

He said that the relocation of the affected persons would commence on October 11, involving all relevant stakeholders.

According to him, officials of the commission will consult with state governors and community leaders in the North East to identify critical areas of intervention and partnership.

Kangiwa said: “We are going to embark on the building and rebuilding of some public infrastructures destroyed by Boko Haram such as schools, hospitals and residential houses in two locations each in the affected states.

“In Yobe, we will build housing units in Buni Yadi and Gulani; Jere and Minoc in Borno and Mubi and Hong Local Government Areas in Adamawa.

“We have empowerment programmes which include training, distribution of implements to farmers, fishermen as well as capital to start their trades.

“We are collaborating with several CSOs and NGOs such as Doctors without Borders, who we usually engage their services to provide free medical test, and free generic drugs to the IDPs.

“We are working with psychologists to handle those with psycho-social issues like trauma, gender-based violence and the Social Investment Committee for missing persons to re-unite families.”

Kangiwa said the Commission would also collaborate with international agencies, including UNICEF and the International Red Cross.

Kangiwa said a joint committee had also been set up by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation to ensure the success of these strategies.

According to him, the committee, chaired by the Permanent Secretary for Special Duties, has members from NEMA, FCT Emergency Management Agency, National Identity Management Commission and security agencies.

He stated further: “The commission bears most of the cost, NEMA and FEMA will sponsor transportation, NIMC will do the identification, and the security agencies will accompany them in their itinerary.”