The internally displaced persons ( IDPs) taking refuge in eight camps across some of the LGEA Primary Schools in Jalingo, Taraba State capital, on Saturday cried out that they were dying of hunger and wished to go back to their ancestral homes.
The displaced persons were sacked three weeks ago following series of attacks in Muribai, Jenibanbu, and Yelwa in Ardo Kola and Jalingo Local Government Areas by Fulani herdsmen.
The attacks, said to have lasted for four days, rendered more than twenty one thousand (21,000) people homeless.
The spokesperson of the IDPs in Taraba, Kini Nomiri, said they were hungry and needed to go back to their homes and continue with farming which is principally their occupation.
He stressed that rather than supply food stuff to them, the officials of NEMA recently came with trailers to move the food items meant for Taraba IDPs to Borno. He also said that the action led to a serious protest by the hungry IDPs.
Nomiri commended the efforts of the Taraba State government in trying to make sure that they (IDPs) were comfortable, but noted that the state government alone cannot handle the situation on ground.
He wondered why what was meant to be a temporal arrangement will become a permanent one, alleging unseriousness on the side of the Federal Government.
“Our people are hungry, no food and we had rumours that some trailers were moving relief materials from the store; so we went there to verify and the drivers told us that they were moving the items to Borno. We told them that we are in serious hunger and the items should be shared to us; that was why we protested and up till now the trailers are still there.
“The State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) and the Taraba State government are doing their best but the Federal Government and NEMA are not trying; we are hungry,” he said.
According to him, “If we continue to be hungry, the only way out is to resist because we are not slaves.”
Duna Gembo Bala, director of relief and rehabilitation of Taraba State Emergecy Management Agency (SEMA), told BDSUNDAY that the issue of taking care of the IDPs was meant to be the responsibility of the Federal Government. He said the state government, NGOs and well meaning individuals can only complement.
Bala, who said the agency was overwhelmed by the offensive growing number of IDPs in the state, expressed shock over the transfer of relief materials meant for Taraba to Borno, adding that it was the first of its kind.
“Taraba State is disturbed about the overgrowing population of IDPs in the state. For just Fulani and Kona crisis alone, we have over 21,700 IDPs in camp, we have about eight camps presently within Jalingo, the state capital.
“The issue of taking care of IDPs is not left to government alone, but in Taraba it appears as if only the state government is taking care of IDPs. In fact, the way SEMA is established is just to complement the Federal Government through the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), but for now, the population of IDPs has overwhelmed the state; the financial capability of Taraba State cannot take care of the IDPs we need Federal Government intervention in Taraba State which is not forth-coming,” Bala said.
“We received the news of IDPs protesting with shock. Because we have never experienced transfer of relief materials from one state to another; this is the first time. When we heard our IDPs rampaging, we went close to the scene; seven trucks of relief materials were packed ready to move, there was nobody to ask. Only the drivers who told us that they were contracted to pack rice to Borno State. Since they were not the people that brought the rice, we asked them to stop until we confirm from NEMA in Yola; up till today, the vehicles are still packed there and the materials are not moved,” he explained.
Nathaniel Gbaoron, Jalingo
