Dangote and world star musician, BONO, escape protesters in Maiduguri; Opposition politicians are to blame – Govt.
BY ABDDULLAHI ISAH, MAIDUGURI
Few hours after of a business mogul Alhaji Aliko Dangote and a world popular musician, Mr. Paul David Hewson ( BONO) visited Bakassi Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camp in Maiduguri, the Borno state capital, hundreds of aggrieved IDPs from the camp went on rampage protesting and barricaded the Maiduguri- Biu road in the metropolis, alleging ‘poor feeding system and ill-treatment’ by government and other humanitarian agencies.
The IDPs who were on a peaceful protest on Monday morning, said, they were not satisfied with a situation where a family of three or four people will be given the same amount of foodstuff with a family of 10 or 15 members on a monthly basis through the household feeding system introduced by State Emergency Management Agency ( SEMA).
It took the quick intervention of state government officials and the North East Coordinator of NEMA, Alhaji Mohammed Kanar to douse the tension.
The Senior Special Assistant to Governor Kashim Shettima on Information Communication Technology (ICT) and Social Media Alhaji Mohammed Bashir Talbari said, the ongoing IDPs protest in camps were instigated by a group of politicians with deep rooted prejudice against the administration of Governor Kashim Shettima who are trying to cause disaffection.
Bakassi has a population of 152,000 IDPs from Nganzai, Monguno, Gwoza and other local government areas of the state
It could be recalled that just last week, hundreds of IDPs mostly women and children from Marte Local Government Area of the state left their camp at the Arabic Teachers College in the metropolis and disrupted traffic flow along the Maiduguri-Kano road, until it took a decisive move by the Deputy Governor, Alhaji Usman Durkwa to calm the situation.
Over 1.6 million IDPs have been taking refuge in Maiduguri in the last two years, with many of them, mostly children, having died due to malnutrition. Based on the Memorandum of Understanding with Borno state Government, NEMA takes care of providing food items while the state government provides condiments for managing these IDPs.
An eye witness who sells blocks and does interlocking business close to the Bakassi camp, who did not want his name mentioned told our Correspondent that he had to close the business for the day as the rampaging IDPs started burning tyres on the main road leading to a traffic jam.
Meanwhile, Tarbari, while reacting to the protest said, “It has come to the notice of the government that disgruntled and desperate politicians for selfishness use some vulnerable people at various internally displaced person’s camps to cause conflict between the authorities and the respective communities by instigating them to protest on unfounded allegations with regards to their feeding system which with all intent and purposes have been addressed.
It must be realised that in a situation as this where hundreds and thousands of internally displaced persons are being catered for, there might be minor mistakes which do not erode the good intentions of the authorities to give the best possible to the affected. Besides, there will always be room for improvement.
“Now that peace is gradually returning to Borno and elsewhere, it behoves us all as patriotic people to work in harmony for the people and not to aggravate any situation to cause further untold hardship on the people.
“Therefore, the people of Borno and especially those in the internally displaced person’s camps should be wary of some unscrupulous politicians or individuals who may wish to use them for their personal agenda or to settle political scores.
”It has become imperative for all to know that the era of impunity is over and it behoves on the law enforcement agencies to bring sanity to the entire system by bringing to book the trouble makers and masterminds of violence irrespective of their status in the society.
“Borno State Government would continue to discharge its responsibility and mandate to all against all odds”. Tarbari stated.
On Sunday, a day before the ugly incident, the Borno State government, in appreciation of Dangote Foundation’s assistance to Boko Haram victims, had renamed the popular Baga Road in Maiduguri Metropolis to Aliko Dangote Road.
The Governor, who renamed the road during the business mogul’s official visit to IDPs’ camps in company of BONO and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) on Sunday, said the gesture became necessary due to the immense contributions and support of Alhaji Aliko Dangote to the victims of Boko Haram especially the over 1.6 million IDPs spread across various resettlement camps in the state.
The governor had also named the under construction 6000 one bedroom housing estate, costing N2 billion for victims of the insurgency along Maiduguri-Bama road donated by Dangote Foundation, to ‘Aliko Dangote Village’
Shettima at Dalori Camp in Maiduguri which is currently being occupied by 37,000 IDPs from Bama Local Government Area of the state, in his address, had expressed gratitude to Dangote for his sympathy towards the people of the state who have suffered untold hardship in the hands of insurgents in the last seven years.
He had said “I want to use this opportunity and on behalf of the good people of Borno state to extend our appreciation to Dangote Foundation. In the last Ramadan season, 230 trucks of assorted food items were donated to our people by Dangote.
“Dangote Foundation has also donated the sum of N2 billion to our dear state for reconstruction and rehabilitation of our destroyed communities, in addition to N400 million donated to us by the same Foundation to assist our people,” the governor added.
He also used the opportunity to pray for God’s protection for Dangote and his family and for peace to return to the troubled areas. He, likewise, called on well to do individuals and corporate organizations to assist Borno in this trying moment.
The governor also took his August visitors to Bakassi camp which has 152,000 IDPs from Nganzai, Monguno, Gwoza and other local government areas, after which, the visitors paid a sympathy visit to families of Boko Haram combatants that were rescued by troops and are now taking refuge at a place in Maiduguri.
Addressing the rescued women and their children, both Dangote and the popular musician, BONO advised the families especially the women to support government policies and programmes as Dangote Foundation will do everything possible to ensure safe upbringing of their innocent children educationally.
Dangote also called on the rescued victims to continue to pray for peace not only in Borno, but in the country as a whole.
An close observer of events in Borno State, who pleaded anonymity, told globalpatriotnews.com that it is not clear what would have happened if the protest had coincided with the visit of Alhaji Dangote and the other dignitaries, counseling that there should be closer monitoring of the IDPs camps so that such VIP visitors are not embarrassed or put in harm’s way.
He also called on the state government to investigate the circumstances surrounding the protest by the IDPs in the Bakkasi camp, and ensure that whoever is indicted is severely punished as deterrent to others who may want to instigate or participate in such protests in future. He equally advised the government to look into the grievances of the IDPs with a view to addressing them quickly.
