There is the Yoruba proverb which literarily states that if the god (Orisa) cannot save or liberate me from my predicament, the god should leave me as it met me. In short, if you cannot solve my problem, do not add to it. This has become the fate of thousands of the Internal Displaced Persons in Borno who have fallen victims to activities of unscrupulous Non Governmental Organisations and individuals who capitalise on their plight to dupe them, thereby worsening their woes.
There have also been reports of some immigration officials in the border sectors of the state who are allegedly exploiting some of the IDPs going out or coming into Borno in the name of documentation. Borno state has boundaries with neighbouring Niger, Cameroun and Chad.
Still on exploitation, some officials in charge of food and other materials for the IDPs in the state were recently caught stealing some items and handed over to the police. The secretary of Borno Elders Forum, who doubled as the Chairman of the State Independent Task Force on feeding of the IDPs, Dr. Bulama Mali Gubio, revealed this in Maiduguri recently.
The Chairman, who was speaking in Maiduguri during the NTA Maiduguri Current Affairs Programme, however, regretted that the police did not take action on the matter after his report.
He explained that as a result of police non-chalant disposition, he was disappointed and thereafter adopted a “siddon look” on the issue, whatwith the culprits seen still moving freely.However, the police, in a reaction, pointed out that all matters reported and deemed to deserve investigation, are treated as such and necessary action taken thereafter.
Perhaps, the exploitation and inhumanity perpetuated on the unsuspecting IDPs in Borno on a large scale is from the evil hands of some of the unscrupulous NGOs, who manipulate and exploit the plight of IDPs to satisfy their insatiable personal desires.
In the words of the state governor, Kashim Shettima, “I need to open up here by saying that in the midst of credible organisations trying to help us in Borno, we have seen occasional instances of some business groups masquerading as NGOs smiling to banks on the agony of the people.
“I do not mean to disrespect any sincere NGO, but there are those whose only interest is to go round thousands of IDPs, figuring out the sick and skinny-looking infants to pose for the cameras with them and upload on the social media mainly to attract funding from concerned philanthropists aboard.”
The Governor, who was speaking in Abuja recently at a high Level Emergency Roundtable on the humanitarian crisis in the State, explained that having taken the pictures of the insurgency victims and shared them on the social media, targeting unsuspecting philanthropists, who ultimately part with funds to the NGOs for the maintenance of the IDPs, such funds often ended up in private pockets.
Shettima agreed with the submissions of the United Nations Humanitarian Coordinator for Nigeria, Mohammed Elmunir Safieldin, who had earlier pointed out that most of the pictures of the critically malnourished infants, children and adults in circulation on social media were those of victims recently rescued by the armed forces from Boko Haram abductors.
He also deplored the statement by Medecins Sans Frontieres, otherwise called Doctors without Borders, that there was acute malnutrition at the IDPs camp in Bama with hundreds of child deaths.
The Governor said MSF completely ignored the fact that interventions were already being made to address the unfortunate cases of malnutrition.
While acknowledging that the situation at the Bama camp was “overwhelming”, he explained that the government, with the support of a few reputable organisations, was doing its best to improve the situation.
Shettima argued that a situation as this was not peculiar to Nigeria, as displaced persons in developed nations were not without challenges. He called pleading for restraints and understanding as the state government strives to bring to an end, the myriad of problems confronting the management of the humanitarian crisis in the region.
Meanwhile, the state government has deployed additional officials to various camps, especially health officers, to attend to pressing and immediate needs of the IDPs and report any critical situation to the Ministry or department concerned.
Similarly, proactive measures are being taken to ensure that only authorised and genuine organisations with intentions favourable to the IDPs are allowed into the camps. In addition, the government has directed that the foodstuffs and condiments meant for the IDPs must never be diverted and as violators will be severely dealt with to serve as deterrence to others.
