Only 3000 IDPs left in Yobe camp- Yobe government Reported

The Yobe State government has said it has only a little over 3000 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) left in the remaining camp in the State.

The Deputy Governor of the State who is also the chairman of Yobe State Committee on Reconstruction, Resettlement and Rehabilitation of IDPs, Abubakar Ali disclosed this while speaking with Daily Trust after a meeting with the Executive Director, Victims Support Fund (VSF), Sunday Ochoche in Abuja on Monday.

“In Yobe, we had only two camps but we have recently closed one of them. We only have one now which has a population of 3000 IDPs”, he noted.

“The total number of IDPs in Yobe State is 300, 000. Most of them have settled in host communities but have eventually left as peace has gradually returned to Yobe State”, he added.

The State Deputy Governor stressed that those remaining in camp probably came from areas where the military has not given clearance for them to return.

Earlier during the meeting, he disclosed that the state government had moved from providing basic needs to  IDPs to reconstruction and rehabilitation of the victims of insurgency in the state.

“Our idea of reconstruction is to support the people in constructing their homes themselves while we put the infrastructure in place,” he added.

While announcing that the state had already made the estimated cost for the rebuilding of schools, health facilities among others, the Yobe Deputy Governor solicited more supports from the VSF to actualize the reconstruction plans.

Responding, the VSF Executive Director who noted that the Fund had agreed to take up the reconstruction of schools, hospitals and the Secretariat in Buni Yadi, pledged his organisation’s continued supports to the State.

“We are not setting up a parallel government and I believe we can achieve more by working together,” he said.

While listing the Fund’s projects in the Northeast so far to include education support, health system strengthening, empowerment of women among others, the VSF Executive Director said the Fund will continue to provide succor to the IDPs until they are completely resettled.