The UN Resident Coordinator, Ms Fatma Samoura, has assured the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) by the Boko Haram insurgency that their sufferings would soon become a thing of the past.
Samoura told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Abuja that the UN was doing everything possible to ensure that the IDPs resumed their normal lives.
Samoura, who is also the UN Humanitarian Coordinator and Resident Representative of UN Development Programme, urged the Boko Haram insurgency victims not to give up on their current condition.
“For the IDPs, I just want to encourage them that their sufferings will be a thing of the past very soon.
“I also want to assure them that conducive conditions for their safe return will be put in place so that they can resume their normal lives,” she said.
She said apart from directing the immediate relocation of the UN Humanitarian Coordination Centre to Borno, she had taken steps to improve access to IDPs through dialogue with humanitarian actors.
Samoura said there were people who had still not been reached due to the insurgency, calling for the presence of more security personnel to enable access to those people.
“There is the need to enhance the security of the humanitarian actors based in Maiduguri through more regular flights in and out of Maiduguri.
“There is also the need to secure the roads leading to the different capitals of the States in the North East region,” she urged.
Samoura said she was undertaking a robust advocacy strategy with international donors.
“I have an upcoming trip to Istanbul where I will be attending the World Humanitarian Summit from May 23 to 24.
“I am going to really establish special working group to attract the world attention to the appalling situation to the IDPs and host communities in the North East of Nigeria.
“We are advocating for NGOs working on food security, nutrition and also in health, water and sanitation to augment the exiting capacity in IDPs camps and within the host communities.”
Samoura said many UN agencies and international organisations had already started helping the women IDPs to undertake income-generating activities.
She said such activities included embroideries to make traditional caps, perfumes, knitting and tailoring in the camps.
She encouraged the IDPs to continue to be vigilant so as to preserve their safety within the camps.
Besides, she enjoined them to work towards peaceful and conducive environment through continued dialogue among the various ethnic groups within the camps and among the different members of their families.
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