Ndume Laments Lack Of FG Presence In North-East

The Senate majority leader, Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume, has bemoaned the lack of Federal Government presence in the North-East region aftermath of the insurgency, which ravaged the area, saying that the situation was getting out of hand, hence relevant agencies of government must be on ground to render humanitarian services in order to forestall a national disaster.

Ndume, who represents Borno South senatorial district of Borno State, was speaking on Monday when a delegation from the National Refugees Commission (NRC) paid him a visit in his office at the National Assembly.

“The humanitarian crisis in that our area is unbelievable. International and non-governmental organisations and all sorts of charity organisations known for humanitarian help are already on the ground but the presence of the Federal Government of Nigeria is virtually non-existent. Your commission has the legal and constitutional role of playing a significant role in this crisis.

“I have been wondering why the National Refugees Commission has remained in the background. I think that is what is responsible for the uncoordinated manner with which things are being done there. And basically there is nothing to write home about.

“We will give you all the supports. I am directly affected. I am an Internally Displaced Person because I have not been able to go to my village or town for the past three years.

“I visited Gwoza only once and with that, I had to use a helicopter from Yola Air Force Headquarters to go and see our people. There are people there now trapped and it is not only in Gwoza; the 22 local government areas are facing the same plight. Nobody knows what they are facing because nobody goes there to see it. People in the accessible places are doing fine,” Ndume said.