From Beauty John, Lafia
No fewer than ten thousand Internally Displaced Persons(IDPs) lodged at LSD primary school in Agyaragu, Jankwe development area of Obi local government of Nasarawa state, have returned to their homes due to the condition of the camp.
The IDP camp coordinator, Mr Nicholas Iorwanev Kwaghtse stated this when The Authority Daily visited the camp in Agyaragu, on Thursday.
“We had about 12,800 individuals as at 7th of April,2021, comprising of about 3,124 house holds whom were displaced from Obi, Keana and Doma.
“As I speak to you now, the people from Keana left the place, the people from Obi also. The people we are having around here is only Doma that are yet to move to their place.
“It is not because they are going to be safe there but they lack what to do and they say it’s better to go and die on the sword than die here of hunger,” he added.
Mr Kwaghtse said that people from surrounding villages like Adze Tse nanya , Anima , Tse yaji, Tse Ikpi all returned to thier homes even though their villages are not safe for habitation.
The Camp administrator also alleged that during the government’s intervention, some of the relief materials that were supposed to reach the people were diverted.
According to him, the items that arrived the camp were 9 bags of 25kg rice as against 10 bags contained in the list of items to be delivered. 6 bags of beans, 6 bags of garri, 6 bags of maize as against 10, 10 lettres of palm oil, 10 bags of salt, 2 bags of sugar, 80 sleeping mats were earmarked but 40 arrived, 40 blankets, 18 mosquito net, 70 plastic buckets , 100 plates were earmarked but 70 arrived, 80 cups were received 40 children’s cloths.
According to him, 4 cartons of Maggi, 6 bags of guinea corn, and 6 cartons of soap were listed but did not arrive the camp.
The secretary of the IDP camp, Mr John Tavershima Tse said that the current state of the IDP is pathetic as there is shortage of food and no health care provision for the sick.
He then called on the government and other well meaning individuals to assist the displaced persons with food, cloth, sleeping materials and other necessary items.
One of the IDPs, Mr Monday Theodus said that they were evacuated from the classrooms with their belongings during school hours to allow the students use the classes for learning.
He said they do not have access to toilets and bathrooms.
“ Even the women are forced to bath outside. And we have no toilets so we defecate behind the hall for pigs to eat.
Mr Theodus appealed to the state government to provide security in their villages so that they can go back to their home and continue with their farm work.
