Over 3000 IDPs stranded in Borno towns

ABDULLAHI ISAH, Maiduguri
Over 3, 000 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) are now stranded without food, water and shelter following the military’s actions in the clearing and recapture of Rann, headquarters of the Kala Balge Local Government Area and its environs.
Kala Balge is a border community between Nigeria and Cameroun Republic and about 200 km from Maiduguri, the state capital.
It would be recalled recently troops of the Nigerian Army recaptured the town from the Boko Haram insurgents on Tuesday, March 22.
During the operation, troops reportedly killed 22 terrorists and also cleared pockets of the terrorists in Wumbi, Tunish, Tilem and Malawaji. Others are Makaudari, Daima, Buduli, Sadigumo, Jiwe, Sidigeri and Kala villages.
A source said that after the clearance operations over 3000 people mostly women and children were left stranded in Kala Balge without food, water and other basic amenities.
Speaking on the matter, the Borno State Commissioner for Local Government and Emirate Affairs, Hon. Usman Zannah in an interview expressed concern over the plight of the stranded victims and promised that Government is making concerted efforts to provide food water, shelter, medication and other items to the trapped innocent civilians in Kala Balge.
“We just received a message that more than 3000 people mostly women and children are stranded in Kala Balge and other surrounding villages following the libration of the area we have started mobilizing people including security operatives, SEMA officials and members of the civilian JTF to deliver relief materials to those victims as soon as possible,” he said.
Also commenting, the Information Officer of NEMA, Mallam Abdulkadir Mohammed said, necessary arrangement and assessment have been put in place by the agency to render humanitarian assistance to the displaced persons in Kala Balge.
“We have received the report that over 3000 IDPs were at some of our satellite camps in Kala Balge, and we have finished the assessment process, and very soon we will reach out to them,” he stated.