Nigeria Becoming A Huge Field Of Internally Displaced Persons’ Camps, Interfaith Media Centre Warns
The group expressed concern over the increasing number of widows and orphans in the country as a result of security challenges.
A Nigerian organisation working to promote trust and tolerance between Christian and Muslim communities, Interfaith Media Centre, has expressed fear that the country will turn into lnternally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camps if nothing is done urgently to address the worsening insecurity.
The group expressed concern over the increasing number of widows and orphans in the country as a result security challenges.
File photo used to illustrate story.
These observations were contained in a communique issued at the end of its monthly forum with media on peace journalism in Kaduna state on Thursday.
The communique was signed by its co-Executive Directors, Pastor Dr. James Movel Wuye and Imam Dr. Muhammad Nurayn Ashafa, who also expressed dismay over the worsening rate of kidnapping and killing in the country.
“The Forum observed that if nothing is done about insecurity, Nigeria will be turned into IDPs’ camps, considering the high increase in number of widows and orphans.
“They further appealed to governments across the country to help address students and pupils to be given psycho-social counselling, so as to help address the challenges of the experience faced during their various predicaments.
“They plead with the government at both state and national levels on the need to provide them with better military and modern equipment so as to drastically continue to fight against the insurgency and banditry in the country.
“They describe the information received on the increased in tuition fees in some of the higher institutions, particularly in Kaduna State as a threat to western education and urged the state government to have a re-think considering the fact that failure to do that, the state will have a setback on our educational enrollment.
“They noted that women play vital role in promoting peaceful coexistence and unity at the family and community levels.
“The event, which usually organised by IMC on the Community Initiatives to Promote Peace (CIPP) was attended by coordinators from Kogi, Plateau, Kano, Katsina, Benue under the CIPP programme in attendance,” it stated.
The Forum was also attended by the District Head of Kufana (Hakimi), Titus Daudu.
Earlier, participants called for more action from the government, especially through massive recruitment into recognised civilian joint task forces like hunters “who will assist the security in the fight against insecurity in the country”.
The Forum urged some state governors and other public figures to stop utterances that can easily provoke the kidnappers to maltreat or even kill their victims.
“They lamented the proliferation of small and light arms in the hands of civilians as well as decried farmers/pastoralists’ clashes, especially in Benue state and other part of the country,” it said.
Regarding the controversial past pro-Islamic extremism views of the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr. Isa Pantami, the Forum urged Nigerians not to use it to escalate tension in the country, but to allow due process on the matter.
According to the Forum, unemployment in the country has led to many being recruited into criminal gangs, most especially among the youths who play active roles in perpetrating heinous crimes.
