ABUJA – The Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) from Michika Local Government Area (LGA) of Adamawa on Wednesday in Abuja called on the Federal and Adamawa Governments to provide them with more security.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that some communities in the LGA were recently dislodged by the Boko Haram insurgency which has been ravaging parts of the North-East.
Leader of the IDPs, Michika Group, Mr Yohanna Zambwa, told newsmen that many of the IDPs had been rendered homeless due to the insurgency.
He added that many of the victims had been made orphans due to the problem in the region.
“None of us can be proud of anything, except the life God has given us. All what our fathers, grandfathers and ourselves toiled for have gone.
“We are crying out to government and any group that can come to our aid. We cannot send our children to hospitals or schools,’’ Zambwa said.
The leader of the group said the group had left the IDPs’ camp in Yola due to a recent Boko Haram attack and would want more security in the area.
“This will encourage us to want to return to the area. Anything short of more security will not help our situation,’’ he said.
Speaking earlier at a National Peace Conference organised by the Save Nigeria Group (SNG) in Abuja, Zambwa alleged that the Boko Haram insurgents who attacked the Michika communities wore Army uniforms.
He said some Michika residents who ran to the mountains when Boko Haram insurgents attacked them had not returned home.
The group leader said the other victims had also fled to different parts of the country, including Abuja.
“Some of us who ran to the mountains cannot come back to the town. Some are dying on the mountains now. We are looking unto government and any group that can come to our aid.
“We know that Abuja is better than our homes, but we are eager to go back to our homes because Abuja is not our home.’’
NAN reports that more than 180 members of the IDPs in different parts of Abuja attended the conference.
SNG, a non-governmental organisation (NGO), is also the largest registered coalition of human rights and pro-democracy organisations in Nigeria.(NAN)
