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Borno urges refugees to expose terror suspects in IDP camps

By Njadvara Musa, Maiduguri
10 August 2015   |   12:20 am
THE Deputy Governor of Borno State, Alhaji Zanna Mustapha, has urged returning Borno refugees from Cameroun to “identify and expose” any suspecting terror suspect among them, as they are screened by military and other security agencies at the Yola Internally-Displaced Persons (IDPs) camps before they are transported to Maiduguri for resettlement and rehabilitation. Mustapha, who…
Borno State governor, Kashim Shettima

Borno State governor, Kashim Shettima

THE Deputy Governor of Borno State, Alhaji Zanna Mustapha, has urged returning Borno refugees from Cameroun to “identify and expose” any suspecting terror suspect among them, as they are screened by military and other security agencies at the Yola Internally-Displaced Persons (IDPs) camps before they are transported to Maiduguri for resettlement and rehabilitation.

Mustapha, who gave the advice at the weekend while addressing 12,000 returning refugees from Cameroun at Mubi IDPs camp who were being searched and screened before their travel departure to Maiduguri, said: “Now that all of you here before us have arrived Nigerian soil safely through the Sahuda border post of Cameroun.

“But our main concern to your security and that of your fled towns and villages in Gambouru, Ngala and Bama, only 78 kilometres away from Maiduguri where you’re to be resettled, was to further secure tightly by exposing any suspecting Boko Haram sect member among you here in these camps before you are transported to Maiduguri for resettlement and rehabilitation by the state government.”

The Director-General of National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Alhaji Sani Sidi, who led the Federal Government delegation to receive the refugees, said the remaining refugees are to be moved to designated IDP camps in Yola, noting: “We are here in Mubi town to officially receive these teeming refugees from Cameroun, assess their individual health conditions and provide them with basic needs of life while in camps before they return to their respective communities when the military gives security clearance to affected state governments in the North-East.”

He, however, noted: “While in the camps, you will undergo screening in order to identify the areas where you come from before you’re moved to safer resettlement camps in Maiduguri, Yola and other designated camps not very far away from your attacked towns and villages in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states.”

Mustapha further said: “Over 90 per cent of returning refugees from Cameroun yesterday are residents, comprising women and children that fled from Gambouru, Ngala and Bama towns because of Boko Haram attacks and bombings that claimed many lives and property.”

Meanwhile, the Nigerian Red Cross Society (NRCS) has trained 20 psychological support personnel to “alleviate and treat” all psycho-social and trauma related problems of Boko Haram victims in Borno and Yobe states.

Addressing psycho-social and traumas personnel yesterday at the Women Development Centre, Maiduguri, the NRCS Head of Organisational and Development, Mr. Andronicus Adeyemo, said the aimed of the three-day workshop was to train psychological and trauma personnel to assist affected displaced persons in Maiduguri and Biu IDP camps.

He said the trained personnel were selected from the 20 affected local councils, including Chibok, Damboa, Jere, Konduga, Bama, Gwoza ‎and Maiduguri Metropolitan Council (MMC) as well others who really understand what the people are going through.

“The NRCS has come to organise a three-day training on psychological support for the Red Cross in Borno. Our aim is to address the issue of trauma-affected people that were already displaced and currently living in various camps. This psychological problem is something or a state of condition that could not be seen with our naked eyes like other diseases or ill-health,” said Adeyemo on the state of some IDPs in camps.

He added: “For a start, we have trained 20 people and it is a continuous exercise. We also have to ensure that they discharge their duties in overcoming the psychological and trauma problems our displaced persons are facing in their various camps.”

While thanking the ICRC, the representative of North-East Zonal Co-ordinator of National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Mr. Suraju Garba Abdullahi, said the training comes when it was needed to assist displaced persons in reuniting with other members of the society.

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