Address Root Cause of Growing IDP Camps, Group Tells FG

Alex Enumah in Abuja

Worried by the increasing number of Internally Displaced Person (IDPs) camps across the country, a non-profit organisation (NGO) over the weekend urged the federal government to take necessary measures to address its root cause.

The organisation, known as the Buni Yadi Foundation (BYF), made the appeal during the launch of its new project, “Buni Yadi Kitchen (BYF Kitchen)” at the Kuchingoro IDP Camp, Abuja.

Speaking at the occasion, the founder of the organisation, Mr. Adeniyi Ayoola-Daniels, harped on the need for the government to get to the root cause in order to resolved the problem, which he noted have lingered for a very long time.

Meanwhile the foundation also distributed some items such as: cooked food, drinks, sanitary towels cartons of noodles, cartons of biscuits, bath soap, loaves of bread and drugs to displaced persons at the camp.

”My advice to government is to vigorously address the root causes of rapidly growing IDP camps in the country. Any problem that does not go to the root causes can never be solved.

”What are these root causes of rapidly growing IDP camps in the country?

“The answer is insurgency by Boko Haram, Banditry, Fulani herdsmen clashes with farmers, poverty, environmental factors such as desertification and global warming.

”Government must restrategise and vigorously address security challenges in the country because families and their children will continue to be forced to move from their homes and villages to IDP camps as long as Boko haram fight continues”, Ayoola-Daniles, a visiting Professor of Law said.

He said he was motivated to establish the humanitarian organisation after he was falsely accused and locked up at Buni Yadi Village Police Station in the old Borno state, now Yobe State, while in secondary school.

He said, ”I was falsely charged to an Area Court and discharged and acquitted by a completely detribalised Alkali judge. That’s why l strongly believe in the unity in diversity of Nigeria.

”At Buni Yadi village, l saw several hungry-looking and out of school children and Almajiris eating directly from dustbins and struggling with flies to gather food to eat.

”’For the mercy God showed me in Buni Yadi Village by saving me from death in my teenage years, l feel deeply connected to Buni Yadi Village and that is why l am giving back to the village through Buni Yadi Foundation.

”220 children from Yobe , Maiduguri, Adamawa and other states were fed and catered for by Buni Yadi Foundation Soup Kitchen and six of the children are actually from Buni Yadi Village and the Foundation has taken the responsibility to pay school fees for these Buni Yadi Village children .”

The Buni Yadi Foundation (BYF) is a duly registered NGO under Nigerian law.

He said the organisation works hard to provide support and access to justice for the vulnerable young ones in the community, most especially, young children in prisons and IDP camps as well vocational skill training for almajiri children & other children on the street and anti-drug abuse advocacy for juveniles.