By Bashir Hassan Abubakar
Resulting from the civil unrest in Mangu and Bokkos Communities of Plateau State that displaced many people, Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) taking refuge in three Local Government Areas (LGAs) of Tafawa Balewa, Toro and Bauchi LGAs have expressed their gratitude to Governor Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed for coming to their with emergency relief materials in their camps.
The distribution of the relief materials that includes food and non-food items and cash was conducted by the State Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management (MHDM).
In their separate remarks shortly before receiving the relief materials and cash on behalf of the IDPs, Chairmen and Women Leaders of the IDPs taking refuge at the Secondary schools in Lere and Boto districts of Tafawa Balewa LGA all commended the Bauchi Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management for the timely intervention of reaching out to them.
They described the gesture as humanitarian and prayed Allah to reward Governor Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed, the Commissioner and her team for coming to their aid in their time of need.
Addressing the IDPs at both camps, Bauchi State Commissioner of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management, Honourable Hajara Yakubu Wanka said that her team from the ministry were at the camp at the behest of Governor Bala Mohammed to commiserate with the IDPs and donate some immediate relief materials to assist their stay at the camps.
Wanka further said the will further afford her ministry to asses the situations at the camps and report back to the Governor for further intervention.
She then implored the IDPs to live peacefully with one another beyond their stay in their respective camps.
Speaking on the side with our correspondent, Honourable Hajara Wanka informed that so far 7,205 IDPs, spread across Tafawa Balewa, Toro and Bauchi LGAs, were reached with the relief materials and that information reaching her ministry indicates that more IDP camps are springing up in other places neighbouring Plateau State.
Our correspondent approximate that over 400 bags of maize, 300 bags of rice, 100 Cartons of pasta and 500 mats were distributed to the IDPs across the the 3 LGAs. Other items include: blankets, salt, maggi , vegetable oil, buckets and plastic plates and spoons.