The Senate ad-hoc committee on humanitarian crisis, led by Senator Shehu Sani, has described as inhumane and despicable, the alleged extortion of materials from IDP camps.
Senator Shehu Sani said this during his visit to Yobe state, while performing the committee’s assignment.
While in the state, the team was received by the Deputy Governor, Abubakar Aliyu, who stood in for the Governor, Ibrahim Gaidam.
Addressing the Deputy Governor, on their mission to the state, Mr Sani expressed concern that some persons were profiting from the tragedy and unfortunate situation of the IDPs as an opportunity to enrich themselves.
“We have seen exaggerated reports and corruption of industrial scales, in the name of IDPs and sometimes, your name as government and institution is being used.
“It is inhumane and despicable that individuals see this as an opportunity for themselves and so surprisingly, many of you that hold positions of power at the state level are not accessible to even know and don’t have even the knowledge of the kind of money that is being pumped from the federal site”, he said.
He revealed that the committee would visit the IDP camps in the state to see for themselves the situation of the displaced, which would help them during the public hearing that will be organized much later after the tour.
He said: “We are here within this very short period of time to go round and have a practical knowledge of what is there on ground and to listen to you with a view of going back to the National Assembly to conduct a public hearing and invite those persons that are concerned to do what we need to do”.
Mr Sani, while also observing that there is corruption at monumental scale in handling the IDP issues, stated that “whoever is involved will surely be prosecuted”.
According to the Governor, the crisis became serious in 2011 and affected 12 local government areas with Gujba and Gulani, worst hit by the insurgency.
He, however, said that despite the destruction caused to the state by the insurgents, “the administration in the state, has since commenced the rehabilitation, reconstruction and resettlement process”
Listing some of the activities involved, he mentioned the reconstruction of the Katarko bridge and the Damaturu- Buniyadi-Magza road.
“The challenges before us have now been how to effectively address the humanitarian crisis and further facilitate the recovery of the victims, before full scale reconstruction of the affected areas.
“In order to manage the situation and implement our planned programme for the resettlement, reconstruction and rehabilitation, a high powered committee under his excellency, the Deputy Governor Abubakar D Aliyu, has been set up,” the Governor said.
Furthermore, he mentioned that the the committee had spent millions of Naira in the restoration of water and health facilities, in addition to supply of food and essential non-food items to the returning communities and the IDPs.
The committee later visited the Pompomari IDP camp, located in Damaturu, the state capital, where they went to find out about the mode of feeding, water supply and health facilities as well as the general wellbeing of the people.
