By Simon Ebegbulem

BENIN—Emotions ran high yesterday as one 112 children at the Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs, camp in Benin, Edo State, reunited with their parents.

The parents and their children had been separated for months, some for years, due to the activities of members of Boko Haram group in the North-East states of Borno, Adamawa and Yobe.

This came as Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State assured that President Muhammadu Buhari would end insurgency in the North-East soonest.

Some of the parents, who could not conceal their joy, recounted the harrowing experiences they had gone through, thinking they were dead.

Although some of the parents expressed regrets that they had lost other close family members and property to the insurgency, they, however, said they were comforted by the fact that their children were still alive in Edo State.

Parents express joy
Father of one of the IDPs, Ali Yakubu, from Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno State, who had four children in the camp, said he was lucky to be alive to see his children, adding that he lost all his siblings to activities of Boko Haram sect.

Another parent, Lukas Saidu, expressed gratitude to Governor Oshiomhole for making the state home for their children.

“You have shown that you are a true Nigerian and God will bless you,” the elated parent told the governor as he feted parents and their wards at Government House, Benin.

Addressing his guests, Governor Oshiomhole called for the support of all Nigerians for President Muhammadu Buhari’s government to enable it deal with insurgency problem in the country once and for all.

He said: “We must commend the efforts of our Armed Forces in combating the insurgency. We weep everyday to see parents and children divided due to insurgency and it is not good for our children.

“Every child needs the care of parents and that is why we must all support the President Muhammadu Buhari administration to fight insurgency and also pray for our troops, who have also left their families to defend our nation.

“We are optimistic that this administration will bring Boko Haram to its knees. Their activities are inhuman and God will see us through.”