Mix Feelings As Yobe Government Closes IDP Camp

While it was a thing of joy for the people
to go back home after the return of peace
in the troubled areas, especially for the
parents, the children were sad that their
educational development have been
truncated.
The area of concern in the return of the
IDPs was that it would greatly affect the
curriculum of children who have within the
period been enrolled into the educational
system at the camp being run by the Army
Education Corps.
The children, according to their teacher,
Oke Eke of the Army Education Corps,
have greatly improved over the period of
their stay but their return would deal a big
blow to their educational development.
Similarly, the President of the Yobe State
chapter of the National Council of Women
Society, Halima Joda, expressed sadness
over the return of the children to their
ancestral homes saying it would have
adverse effects on their education.
They called on government to make the
educational development of the children a
top priority by ensuring that as they return
to their villages, teachers also resume at
their duty posts to impact in them
knowledge for the growth and development
of the society.
The closure of the camp would affect 92
households where over 391 IDPs would
return to their ancestral homes at Gambir,
Malumti and Matirri villages.
Within the period of their stay at the camp,
totalling 333 days, the Executive Secretary
of SEMA, Idi Jidawa revealed that 35
million Naira was spent for establishing
the camp, feeding and general upkeep of
the displaced persons.
Each of the returning household, according
to him, would also be given a return
package to include; bags of rice, vegetable
oil, cooking pot among other household
equipment with 20,000 Naira cash.
Speaking on behalf of the returning IDPs,
one of the pupils, Kasim Shetima,
appreciated the contribution of the Yobe
State government, the Nigeria Army, donor
agencies and many others who contributed
in taking care of them.