Boko Haram: Borno emergency agency raises alarm over inadequate resources
Borno State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) has called for urgent interventions to address the humanitarian crises caused by the renewed activities of Boko Haram insurgents in the state.
Chairperson of the agency, Mrs Yabawa Kolo, made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Maiduguri.
Kolo said that the call became imperative to enable the agency assist thousands of persons displaced in recent conflict at Kukawa, Marte, Guzamala, Dikwa, Bama,Gwoza and Rann.
She said that because of the large number of persons displaced recently, the resources of the agency was inadequate to cope.
“The humanitarian situation has taken an alarming turn in view of the large scale displacement in Baga and Cross Kauwa,” she said.
According to her, the agency has been doing its best, saying it deployed its personnel to conduct needs assessment exercise, with the support of the military, after which 30 trucks of food and non-food items were distributed to the displaced persons.
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Kolo added that the relief items were distributed to about 17, 000 displaced persons and constructed over 200 temporary shelters and toilet facilities in Monguno town alone.
She said that the agency had so far profiled 32, 000 displaced persons in various IDPs camps, sequel to the high influx of such persons into Maiduguri metropolis.
The chairman further said that the agency also constructed about 500 temporary shelters at the Bakassi and Teachers Village IDPs camps to reduce congestion and accommodate the persons displaced recently.
According to her, the agency is working in collaboration with the International humanitarian organizations and Federal Government agencies to mitigate the sufferings of the displaced persons.
Kolo lauded the Federal Government over the distribution of food and non food items to the IDPs, adding that the gesture would go a long way in alleviating their sufferings.
Meanwhile, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) said it would conduct needs assessment exercise to enhance effective humanitarian response in Rann, one of the communities affected by insurgency.
NAN