NEMA can’t access IDPs without support of security agencies, govts, community leaders ― Spokesman

National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) on Thursday reiterated its commitment to the sustainable provision of relief materials to Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), especially those affected by insecurity and other disasters across the country.

The Head of the NEMA Press Unit, Mr Manzo Ezekiel gave the assurance during the Roundtable Media interface and presentation of a report on humanitarian situations recently undertook investigative reports at Chonoko community in Kebbi State and Kagara communities in Niger State by PRNigeria.

While noting that the Agency has put necessary measures in place to ensure seamless and hitch-free distribution of relief materials to all the affected communities affected by insecurity challenges and other disasters such as flooding across the country, Mr Manzo underscored the need for synergy between the Agency, Security Agencies, State Governments and Community Leaders in order to have unfettered access to the IDPs camps.

He said: “Talking about IDPs, NEMA has been providing relief support to IDPs across the country, especially in the northeast since the escalation of insurgency we have been supporting IDPs there and other places.

“In Borno and Adamawa for instance, we provide monthly feeding to over 200 IDPs in the camps there and the liberated communities. The Agency has also been giving supplies to IDPs in other parts of the country, especially those affected by insecurity and other disasters.

“In Kebbi State and Niger State for instance, because that is the focus of this meeting, we have been providing relief support there. As a matter of fact, recently the DG had a course to go to the field himself in Katangora and I was privileged to go with him to the place.

“The Kagara that we were discussing here and Chonoko, their locations are within the same general areas, so the DG has a cause to go to Kotongora to go and flag off the relief distribution there. Kagara is in Niger State and is under the responsibility of our office in Minna.

“I’m aware that a lot of relief materials approved by the Agency have been delivered to the IDPs there, while Chonoko is under our office in Sokoto and I’m also aware that our Coordinator there has delivered the relief materials approved at that location too.

“I want to say, in fact, there must be strategic reasons why PRNigeria picked on these two communities. But I must say here that not only these two communities are affected by insurgency and displacement of persons. Recently, we were in Plateau State, we went to deliver materials to people affected by unknown gunmen in Kanam Local Government.

“One of the participants here drew attention to the situation in Wase, we also have a situation in Sokoto State for those that may be aware Birnin Magaji Local Government, that is around Bafarawa side, we also had a situation in Katsina where we have taken relief materials.

“But I’m sure one of the reasons why this Forum was called is to discuss and analyze why IDPs are still complaining despite the relief distribution. We are talking about IDPs that were affected by the security situation.

So NEMA, we are not a security organisation, we cannot access those places on our own without the support of security, without the cooperation and support of the state governments and even their community leaders.

“So many times, when we take relief materials for instance or relief material to these specific locations, we have had to deliver these relief materials in collaboration with the community leaders, in collaboration with the state governments; in fact, many times even with the representatives of these people in the National Assembly are involved in the relief distribution.

“So, as much as we have tried our best to carry out our mandates, I believe as media, you can as well confirm from the leaders and the State governments of these locations about our relief distribution there, and of course, we give support based on available resources.

“Because NEMA as a matter of fact, we are responding to situations across the country. As much as we are having security challenges in the North, down in the South we are having other situations that are occurring there. We are in the rainy season; we have had some flood situations in the North but we have also had more flood situations in the South. So, we are responding to all of these at the same time.

Mr Manzo explained that the situation “in the North East was a general displacement of Local Government but in the case of these two other communities and other places, they are situations that there are displacements that happened in remote locations.

“Sometimes these people are displaced and after a week or two, they return back to their homes. So, we cannot institute a monthly distribution for this in some instances,” he stressed.

He maintained that NEMA carries out the distribution of the relief material in collaboration with the state governments, and the community leaders, with a view to ensuring that direct beneficiaries get the items.

“Talking about tracking the relief materials as well, track these through the institutions and persons I’ve mentioned here,” he stressed.

Speaking earlier on the ‘Special Reports on Humanitarian Situations and Plights of Internally Displaced Persons in Chonoko village, Danku/Wasagu Local Government Area, Kebbi State in April 2022 and Kagara Community, Rafi Local Government Area, Niger State in July 2022, Mr Ya’u Madobi observed that the people were not allowed to have free access to their farms and work which serve as their major source of livelihoods, as a result of incessant bandits’ attacks.

According to him, the ugly development has “greatly reduced the number of agricultural supplies which has equally been threatening food security and also increasing the unemployment rate.”

He added that “the majority of schools in those villages have been closed due to fear of bandits’ attacks. Meanwhile, some that are located within the towns have been turned into IDP camps where the victims are being accommodated. This situation has sent many students away from classes, thereby adding to the number of out-of-school children in the area and the country at large.

Mr Madobi further noted that “over 10,000 Chonoko IDPs are living under hardships as they lack basic necessities of life. These include but are not limited to adequate food, shelter, medications, clothes, detergents and other vital household items necessary for living a good life.

“It is unfortunate to learn that NEMA has been donating relief materials to these vulnerable communities but the items were being stockpiled in warehouses by the state government without distributing them to the IDPs.

“A lot of rampaging activities by bandits in these remote areas are continuously happening but usually skip the eyes of mainstream media and have never been reported.

In order to address the challenges, he urged government and security forces should sustain their efforts towards restoring peace and security to the affected communities

“The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants, and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI) should look into the situation of these IDPs by providing them with relief materials. These items should include; foodstuff, detergents, clothes, wrappers, mattresses etc. Also, agricultural inputs such as fertilizers, chemicals, seeds etc. should also be distributed in order to improve agricultural activities.

“Provision of medical supplies should be considered in order to ensure the delivery of a robust and sound healthcare system. This will go a long way in averting diseases outbreak and other emergencies.

“Efforts should be outlined and implemented toward rescuing the dwindling educational sector, thereby absorbing back the school dropouts from the streets which are necessary for averting future security breaches.

“International donor agencies including the International Red Cross Society (IRCS) and other likes should intervene in the awful situation of the IDPs, especially in providing them with adequate shelter so as to reduce too much population in their overcrowded settlements.

“There should be transparency and open disclosure in the distribution of relief materials to the vulnerable persons in the affected communities,” Mr Madobi stressed.

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