FCTA to harbour additional 8,000 IDPs

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) said it has concluded arrangements to receive and camp no fewer than 8000 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), from neighbouring Nasarawa and Kogi States.

Managing Director, FCT Emergency Management Agency, Abbas G. Idriss made this disclosure after a stakeholders meeting on the camping of the IDPs mid-last week, in Abuja.

Idriss, who further explained that the displacement of persons was informed by communal clashes between the Ebira people of Kogi and Bassa people of Nasarawa States in four communities, added that the FCT became involved because the IDPs were taking refuge in Kwali and Abaji Area Councils of the FCT, hence the need to properly camp, feed and secure them.

He revealed that a suitable accommodation has been found at the Senior Secondary School (a boarding school) in Dangara, Kwali Area Council where only the IDPs would be sheltered for the one-month camping of the IDPs throughout September since the school was on vacations.

According to him, after the one month camping, expected to open from 1st of September and last for the whole month, the IDPs would be repatriated, hopefully to their communities of origin, in line with international law, which stipulates that reparation should be “to place of choice, voluntary and dignified.”

The Chairman of the camping committee also said that as soon as the two State Governments were done with their peace efforts and camping arrangements, “we will move them to their original places of abode”.

Operations Coordinator, International Emergency and Aids Initiative, Engr. Daniel B. Gambo, who also spoke after the meeting, however said that the right thing usually done internationally was not to repatriate IDPs from one camp to another camp.

Engr. Gambo reeling out different camp rules stated that some activities being lined up ahead of the camp opening included cultural display by the different peoples from the two states, Islamic and Christian preaching and peace-mending meetings among traditional rulers from all sides.

The Coordinator also said that the IDPs who are predominantly farmers, would also be taught way of preserving farm produce, basic health tips, sensitization on skills acquisition, environmental hazards and sanitation among others.