Yobe set to Close Last IDPs Camp

The Yobe Government on Saturday said plans had been put in place to close the last Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camp in the state.

Alhaji Musa Jidawa, Secretary of the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), said this in Damaturu in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

Jidawa said the state had only one IDPs camp with about 2,000 population at the Pompomari IDPs camp after the closure of the Bukar Ali camp in May 2016.

“Contrary to claims in some quarters that there were four IDPs camps in Yobe, we have only one camp at Pompomari in Damaturu after the closure of one at Bukar Ali camp in May 2016.
“Government is currently studying the security situation in the communities of the IDPs, we will move the IDPs to their respective communities as soon as we receive clearance from the security agencies,” Jidawa said.

The secretary said government had in 2015 established two camps at Pompomari and Bukar Ali in Damaturu to accommodate IDPs in the state.

“Following security improvement in the affected areas, the IDPs voluntarily demanded to return to their respective communities and the Bukar Ali camp was officially closed down in May 2016,” he said.

NAN reports that the Yobe Committee on Resettlement and Rehabilitation of IDPs, NGOs and humanitarian partners have continued to support IDPs who have relocated to their communities with food and non-food items to facilitate their resettlement.

Meanwhile, the Yobe IDPs resettlement committee and Christaphen Blinding Mission (NGO) have provided food and non-food items to displaced persons from neighbouring Borno communities in self-established camps in Kukareta village.

NAN