Tinubu to provide resettlement cities for Niger IDPs

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has disclosed plans to build resettlement cities for people who have been displaced by insecurity across Niger State while efforts are ongoing to bring banditry and terrorism in the country to an end.

This is just as the Niger State government has disclosed that there are 29,774 internally displaced persons in the state.

The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr Betta Edu disclosed this at the flag-off and distribution of empowerment equipment to IDPs in Niger State at the Gwada IDP camp.

According to the Minister, a situation whereby banditry and terrorism have led to the shutdown of over 400 schools and resulted in 11,113 out-of-school children is unacceptable and would be addressed by the president.

“The president said I should tell you all that hope has come and that he will provide durable solutions to all the things that are bothering us. We have seen a couple of things, especially regarding the living conditions, and how poor they are and it is no fault of anyone.

“The banditry has led to displacement of Nigerians with over 400 schools shut down which has resulted in 11, 000 children out of school, and this situation is completely unacceptable.

“That is why the President has sent us to come and see the situation of things on the ground and after seeing that situation, we would ensure that we intervene to change things.

“We are discussing that it would be better to resettle the IDPs here because of the insecurity in their various places, so resettling them in Shiroro would be better for now.

“We will provide a resettlement city where everyone who is displaced can be resettled so that you can be safe and you can leave this place for our children to come back to school. Having out-of-school children is not okay for Nigeria. Education is foundational and if we must fight poverty, we must return our children to school because that is the key and the beginning of ending the circle of poverty.”

The Minister said that 435 IDPs have been trained for the N-Skill programme, adding that starter packs would be given to them alongside some foodstuff as palliatives from the President.

She disclosed that the federal government would expand its social register to accommodate the IDPs and include them in the various intervention schemes including the petty traders’ scheme, the farmers’ scheme, the market money scheme, small loans, and conditional cash transfers.