Sokoto IDPs Deliver 30 Babies Despite Attacks

..The Sultan of Sokoto

The July 9 attack by bandits notwithstanding, Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Gandi village, Raba Local Government Area, Sokoto have recorded 30 births.

Alhaji Ibrahim Dingyadi, the Director General of the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) disclosed this on Saturday when the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III, visited the IDPs to condole with them over the sad incident.

“At present 4,996 displaced persons from nine villages affected by the incident are taking refuge in the camp,’’ Dingyadi said.

He listed the villages to include, Tabanni, Gidan-Kare, Kursa, Warwasa, Rumbun-Tsamiya, Tudun-Kwasa, Dutsu, Illilu and ‘Yankusar-kilawa.

Dingyadi commended Sultan for assisting the victims with 200 bags of grains adding that the State Government had been feeding them, in addition to taking care of their welfare.

According to him, World Health Organization (WHO), United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF), the State Rural Water and Sanitation Agency, the Federation of Muslim Women and some politicians have provided relieve materials to the IDPs at the camp.

Also speaking, the secretary of Raba LGA, Alhaji Aminu Gawo, said some victims have expressed readiness to return to their villages while others have requested to be settled somewhere else.

Gawo said many people were apprehensive on the happenings noting that the Minister of Interior retired Gen. Abdulrahman Danbazau visited and deployed security personnel which assisted in calming the situation.

He however, appealed to the monarch to facilitate the use Nigerian Air Force planes on the bandits due to the difficult terrains in the area which is difficult for ground troops to reach.

Responding, Abubakar said he visited to condole with the victims and interact with them over the incident which occurred when he was abroad.