•1,194 households, comprising 27,121 individuals, more than half of them women and children, affected

•Refugees agency, CBN to the rescue, team up to give succour

By Ibrahim Hassan Wuyo

FOR Baraka Saidu who is among the over 27,000 peasants who were displaced by bandits in the Birnin Gwari communities, life has been very difficult in recent years following the spate of attacks unleashed on the area by bandits and kidnappers in Birnin Gwari axis of the Kaduna State.

While narrating her plight to journalists at the Sir Kashim Ibrahim House Kaduna, Saidu thanked God for sparing her life despite the various invasions of the area by daredevils who killed or kidnapped family members, friends and relatives, and destroyed their home, in many cases leaving nothing behind in the process.

“As a result of the unrelenting onslaught on the area, survival has been very difficult and challenging,” Saidu said. “But feeding has been difficult since we’ve nothing again. We even rely on support in order to buy something to wear. Life has been very tough with us in Tudun Wada area where we are camped as IDPs,” she said.

But Saidu is full of joy and gratitude to the National Commission for Refugees Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons, NCFRMI, that came to Kaduna with lots of food items and other valuables given to Baraka and other internally displaced persons in the Birnin Gwari communities who are in dire need.

During the presentation of the items, the Federal Commissioner, NCFRMI,
Senator Basheer Garba Mohammed disclosed that 1,194 households comprising 27,121 individuals, more than half of whom are women and children were displaced by bandits  in Birnin Gwari Local Government Area alone.

Senator Garba said  his commission was in Kaduna to hand over relief items to 300 households of displaced persons of Birnin Gwari LGA and commiserated with the people of Kaduna State over the incessant banditry and communal clashes that have  continue to cause thousands of displacements in the state.

Senator Mohammed said: “In October 2019, shortly after I took office as Federal Commissioner at the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons, I came here to Kaduna State to flag off the distribution of relief items to persons displaced by armed bandits’ attacks in Birnin Yero of Igabi Local Government Area.”

“It is with a heavy heart that I return today to handover relief items to the beleaguered people of Birnin Gwari local government area.

“I, therefore, am honoured to be here today on behalf of the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons to present to Your Excellency some relief materials – food, non-food and empowerment items to support 300 internally displaced households in Birnin Gwari and alleviate their sufferings,” he said.

He explained that the food items are: Semovita, maize, beans, rice, palm oil and vegetable oil. The non-food items include local energy stoves, mats, plastic bowls, plastic buckets, blankets and mattresses.

“We also have some empowerment items – grinding machines and sewing machines to support livelihoods and reduce dependency,” he said.

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He explained that as the Federal Government agency mandated to coordinate national action for the protection and assistance of all persons of concern, their focus moving forward is to go beyond giving handouts to providing more sustainable solutions of return or resettlement, rehabilitation and re integration.

“It is in line with this that the commission is partnering with the Central Bank of Nigeria to implement “Project Reliance”, an intervention project for all displaced persons in Nigeria where they have the opportunity to choose from 50 vocational skills,” he said.

He said the beneficiaries will be provided with training and starter packs, including start up capital, to begin their businesses.

“At the commission, we believe this is the most effective way of empowering displaced persons and ultimately restoring their means of livelihood. Project Reliance has been initiated in Borno and Katsina states and in a phased manner; we hope to include all states in Nigeria where there are significant IDPs or Refugees’ populations.

“The commission has also begun the ‘Resettlement Cities Project’ in Borno, Katsina, Edo and Zamfara states where 600 housing units will be built in beneficiary states. The housing units include a clinic, market, security post, school and other social amenities.

“The project is also all-encompassing as it has a livelihood support component to support full resettlement of displaced persons. Construction has reached advanced levels in Borno and Katsina states and we hope that we will expand this to cover all states with large numbers of displaced persons, including Kaduna state.”

He thanked President Muhammadu Buhari for his leadership and empathy towards  persons of concern and to the Minister for Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development for her support.

The Kaduna State Government thanked the commission for donating the items and assured that it was also doing the needful to ensure that displaced persons are taken care of.

The Deputy Governor, Dr. Hadiza Balarabe, said the relief materials would help alleviate the struggles of the displaced persons. She emphasized that the Kaduna State Government is deploying all necessary mechanisms to combat banditry and secure the good people of the state.

Similarly, Alhaji Garba Gambo Randagi, Chairman of Birnin Gwari Local Government Council, said the items came at the right time and thanked the refugee commission for coming to the aid of his people.

Vanguard News Nigeria