The office of the Vice President, Mr. Yemi Osinbajo, a pastor, says the Federal Government is trying its best and provided thousands of bags of food items in July alone, but images of malnourished children and adults in Bama camps in Borno state cast doubt that the money is being used for the purpose it is meant.
A terribly malnourished baby baby at Bama IDP Camp in Maiduguri during Minister’s Tour of Bama
On Sunday, Nigeria’s Federal Government said in July it provided over 23, 000 bags of assorted food items and 2,155 bags of shelter supplies to over two million Nigerians who have been displaced by Boko Haram in the country’s northeast, an attempt to reassure donor agencies now in serious doubts after shocking images surfaced last week showing severely malnourished children and adults in Bama camps, even with millions of dollars from donor agencies pouring in.
The office of the Vice President said in a statement to TheSimonAtebaNews, as many began doubting whether money was really going to the right people, that the government has moved the malnourished persons from Bama to Maiduguri “for comprehensive medical treatment”.
It has also deployed medical teams from the Federal Ministry of Health and Nigerian Airforce to assist in support mission for nutrition emergency response to those in need.
“In addition, the government of Borno state is converting Islamiya School in Bama to a hospital which will be equipped by the Nigeria Airforce to achieve quick comprehensive treatment of victims,” said the Vice President spokesman, Mr. Laolu Akande.
The 23, 000 food items to the IDPS, Mr. Akande added, were provided by different Federal Government agencies to Internally Displaced Camps (IDPs) in the North East as part of on-going initiatives at ameliorating the plight of IDPs in areas ravaged by insurgency.
Boko Haram has killed more than 25,000 people in Nigeria since 2009 and displaced more than two million others. Worse, thousands of people have been kidnapped, including the Chibok girls whose abduction in 2014 triggered a global outrage and condemnation from world leaders, including Michelle Obama. At least 500, 000 children have remain out of school and those born in refugee camps do not have birth certificates from Nigeria.
With so many people displaced, and so many children out of school, the Nigerian Federal Government sought partnership of donor agencies to help.
Last week, Boko Haram attacked a UNICEF convoy in Borno and the United Nations reacted by suspending its work in the restive region, fearing for the safety of its staff or volunteers. But the office of the Vice President said on Sunday that work is still ongoing and help is still very much needed.
“Under the coordinated Federal intervention programme, both the Presidential Initiative on North East (PINE) and National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), are leading the humanitarian aid with the distribution of 10, 300 bags of assorted grains and cereals towards the feeding of over 2 million persons scattered across the region,” Mr. Akande said in his statement to TheSimonAtebaNews.
He added: “In the monthly Federal Intervention Report that shows the level of supplies in the month of July and compiled by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on the North East, Dr. Mariam Masha, PINE supplied over 10,300 bags of food items such as rice, millet, maize, guinea corn, salt, vegetable oil, beans, and noodles to Borno, Yobe, Adamawa, Taraba, Gombe and Bauchi States.
“Besides, NEMA also supplied Borno State with 13,200 bags of food items.
“The report indicated that PINE through the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation distributed 2,155 assorted shelter materials in nine (9) different Local Government Areas of Borno State which includes Bama, Damboa, Bakacy, Dikwa, Monguno, Mafa, Jere, Banki and Gwoza.
President Muhammadu Buhari, in consolidating FG intervention in the North East had ordered the establishment of the Presidential Committee on North East Interventions, PCNI. The Committee chaired by Gen. Theophilus Danjuma is responsible for rehabilitation, reconstruction and recovery of the North East.
Equally, Government had also constituted an Inter-ministerial Technical Working Group to facilitate an effective humanitarian assistance. The Group is to expedite waivers and technical assistance by donors providing humanitarian aid in North East.
Members of the Group include the Office of the Vice President, Office of the National Security Adviser, NEMA, Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Justice, Budget & National Planning, Finance, Nigeria Customs and Immigration.
The Federal Government continues to assess the need and develop effective ways of addressing them with the active collaboration of local, national and international agencies including the United Nations system. The Buhari presidency will neither relent nor leave any stone unturned in ensuring that our people in the North East are provided with the assistance, help and support needed to address the different fallouts and impact of the insurgency that has ravaged the region for years.