By Ikechukwu Okaforadi
The Senate has disclosed that over two million Nigerians are living as refugees in the North-East region of the country due to the continued activities of the Boko Haram insurgents.
Similarly, the Senate also resolved to donate N20 million to the internally displaced persons in the region, just as it urged the Federal and state government to redouble its efforts in providing relief and succor to the refugees.
The Senate also urged the federal government to involve the international community in its bid to address the issue of the internally displaced persons in the affected areas.
These resolutions were sequel to the motion moved by Deputy Senate Leader, Abdul Ningi, on the plight of the internal displaced persons in the north east.
Leading debate on the motion, Ningi submitted that the entire motion is about seeking the attention of the international community in particular, and the federal and state governments in general, to the inhuman situation, people of the North East.
He said the people of Adamawa, Yobe and Borno are finding life almost impossible to exercise due to the insurgents. According to him, the country has over two million people internally displaced in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states, adding that the internally displaced persons have found refuge in neighbouring states like Bauchi, Jigawa, Benue and Taraba states.
He also lamented that the internally displaced persons have also found refuge in Chad, Niger and in Cameroon, saying that the most painful aspect of the crises is the lack of attention by the international community to this particular and unfortunate human tragedy in Nigeria.
In his remarks, Senate President, David Mark, reiterated that the country is in a war situation, saying that in every war situation; one of the key areas that the government must worry about is refugees.
He added that it is not just to fight the war and fight the various battles but that the government must also worry about refugees.
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