10,000 IDPs RETURN TO THEIR VILLAGES IN KATSINA STATE 18-09-24
By Sadiq Aminu About 10,000 Internally Displaced Persons in Katsina State have returned to their communities in their last two months as a result of the relative peace achieved in some of the security flashpoints in the state.
The Special Adviser to Governor Dikko Radda on Victims of Banditry and Internally Displaced Persons, Alhaji Saidu Ibrahim, disclosed this in an interview with Africa 247 in Katsina.
He said at present, there are about 218 thousand IDPs taking shelter in towns, villages and community neighborhoods in the central and southern parts of the state.
“1,128 of the IDPs who had sustained various degrees of injuries during the attacks on their villages are receiving treatment in various hospitals”, Danja explained.
He noted that patients with critical injuries are receiving treatment on referral basis at the Federal Teaching Hospital katsina, General Amadi Rimi Orthopedic Hospital, Katsina, Dala Orthopedic Hospital, Kano, Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, Zaria, and Usman Danfodio Teaching Hospital, Sokoto.
Danja also explained that some of the patients are being treated for psycho-social and other trauma-related conditions due to the loss of loved ones and the violence they witnessed during the attacks on their communities.
“At present, the state government spends about N20 million every month on settling the medical bills of these 1,128 IDPs that are receiving treatment in various hospitals.
“We want to give them hope and a sense of belonging and we want them to know that the government cares about them because we don’t want to lose them to the bandits.
He pointed out that the state government is working with eight different organizations to resettle and provide livelihood support for the IDPs.
“We are collaborating with the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), International Organization for Migration (IOM), Center for Democracy and Development (CDD), International Rescue Committee (IRC), World Food Program (WFP), as well as ECOWAS, Mercy Corps and the Federal Government.
“For instance, UNDP is constructing a Peace Initiative and Resilience Hub in Jibia for IDPs and other vulnerable groups.
“The hub will include housing units, business centers, skills acquisition centers, schools and health clinics because it is meant to be a one-stop-shop for all their basic needs.
“On its part, the federal government will construct 350 housing units under the newly-launched Pulako Resettlement Initiative.
“The Pulako Resettlement houses will be constructed across four LGAs, these are Batsari, Danduma, Dandume and Faskari.
“The state government has provided the land and other logistic requirements needed to carry out these projects”, Danja noted.