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Mix Feelings As Yobe Government Closes IDP Camp

It was mix feelings as the Yobe State government closed the Bukar Ali IDP camp located south of Damaturu, the state capital. The closure of the … Continue reading Mix Feelings As Yobe Government Closes IDP Camp


Cameroon, Nigeria, Nigerians, Repatriate

IDP Camp, Yobe GovernmentIt was mix feelings as the Yobe State government closed the Bukar Ali IDP camp located south of Damaturu, the state capital.

The closure of the camp according to the Executive Secretary of the Yobe State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) was sequel to request by the IDPs to return to their ancestral home, owing to relative peace being enjoyed across the state and the northeast as a whole.

While it was a thing of joy for the people to go back home after the return of peace in the troubled areas, especially for the parents, the children were sad that their educational development have been truncated.

The area of concern in the return of the IDPs was that it would greatly affect the curriculum of children who have within the period been enrolled into the educational system at the camp being run by the Army Education Corps.

The children, according to their teacher, Oke Eke of the Army Education Corps, have greatly improved over the period of their stay but their return would deal a big blow to their educational development.

Similarly, the President of the Yobe State chapter of the National Council of Women Society, Halima Joda, expressed sadness over the return of the children to their ancestral homes saying it would have adverse effects on their education.

They called on government to make the educational development of the children a top priority by ensuring that as they return to their villages, teachers also resume at their duty posts to impact in them knowledge for the growth and development of the society.

The closure of the camp would affect 92 households where over 391 IDPs would return to their ancestral homes at Gambir, Malumti and Matirri villages.

Within the period of their stay at the camp, totalling 333 days, the Executive Secretary of SEMA, Idi Jidawa revealed that 35 million Naira was spent for establishing the camp, feeding and general upkeep of the displaced persons.

Each of the returning household, according to him, would also be given a return package to include; bags of rice, vegetable oil, cooking pot among other household equipment with 20,000 Naira cash.

Speaking on behalf of the returning IDPs, one of the pupils, Kasim Shetima, appreciated the contribution of the Yobe State government, the Nigeria Army, donor agencies and many others who contributed in taking care of them.