By Francis Sardauna
The Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG) at the weekend, called on the Katsina State Governor, Aminu Bello Masari, to put machinery in place to ensure the return of the internally displaced persons (IDPs) to their ancestral homes.
The group said the call was imperative considering the inhuman condition of the IDPs across the state who were sent packing from their communities by bandits.
The Chairman, Board of Trustees (BoT) of the coalition, Mr. Nastura Sherif, made the clarion call while distributing food items to the IDPs in Batsari Local Government Area of the state.
THISDAY reliably gathered that there are 5,210 displaced persons, mostly women and children, currently taking refuge in Batsari Model Primary School.
He lamented that the prolonged stay of the IDPs in the camp might result in cases of rape and drug abuse among them, as been witnessed in Borno and other states of the federation facing insecurity.
“We are calling on Governor Aminu Masari to ensure the return of these internally displaced persons to their various homes. Government should not leave them in camps, because it will result in cases of rape and drug abuse as we are witnessing in Borno and other states.
“We are here to condole with our brothers and sisters who were displaced by bandits and give them the little we have as our contribution to alleviate their sufferings in the camp,” he said.
He urged security agencies and the state government to intensify efforts in order to flush out bandits and other miscreants terrorising the state to pave the way for sustainable peace and development.
However, the Camp Manager, Umar Abba, while receiving the relief materials on behalf of the state government, told the coalition that the government has started returning IDPs to their homes following the return of relative peace in their communities.
While commending the coalition for the humanitarian assistance, the camp manager said the state government has done tremendously well in addressing feeding, shelter, clothing and health challenges of the refugees.
Members of the coalition had earlier paid courtesy call on the District Head of Batsari, Alhaji Tukur Mu’azu, where he told them that peace has retuned in some communities within his chiefdom as a result of military efforts.
He called for the deployment of more security personnel to other flashpoints in the council area for peace and development to thrive.
