Shettima commissions N1.68b camps for UN aid workers

Governor Kashim Shettima

• Civilian JTF denies leader’s arrest over alleged links with Boko Haram

Governor Kashim Shettima of Borno State yesterday commissioned N1.68 billion “mobile base camps” for United Nations (UN) humanitarian workers assisting the 1.3 million Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the state.

The camps are located in Gwoza, Gambouru/Ngala, Damboa, Monguno, Kukawa, Damasak, Dikwa and Bama. During the commissioning of the project, the governor pledged an enabling environment for the UN officials to perform their functions optimally.

The project was supported by the Swedish government. Each of the camps is equipped with communication gadgets, conference room, warehouse, kitchen, gymnasium and a clinic.

The Deputy Coordinator of United Nations Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UN-OCHA), Peter Lundberg said the camp would provide secured accommodation for aid workers while rendering services to displaced persons in the eight hubs.

In a related development, the Federal Government has donated food and relief materials worth N1.5 billion to IDPs in Borno.

While presenting the materials to Shettima at the weekend at the Government House, Maiduguri, the Assistant Comptroller of Customs, Abdullahi Azare said: “This is to obey a presidential directive that all seized perishable items be given to IDPs,” Azare said.

The materials include 40,552 bags and cartons of rice, spaghetti, vegetable cooking oil and 63 bags of used shoes and bags. Meanwhile, the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) in Borno has denied the arrest of its leader, Baba Lawan Jafar over alleged links with Boko Haram insurgents.

A newspaper reported that Jafar owned about 20 houses in Maiduguri and a vast farmland within the metropolis. While debunking the arrest, the legal adviser of CJTF, Jubrin Gunda said: “Jafar is not under arrest either by the military or any security agency in the state.”

Credit: Guardian