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Boko Haram displaces 1.8m persons – NEMA

Published

7 years ago

November 25, 2017

The Director-General of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) , Mr. Mustapha Maihaja, have confirmed no fewer than 1,884,331 persons in the North-East, adding that 9.6 million people in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states have been affected directly or indirectly by the crisis.

According to him, the insurgency has also completely destroyed 115 schools and badly affected 139 others.

Maihaja, who was represented by the Director, Planning, Research and Forestry, Mr. James Akujuobi, spoke on Friday during a conference organised by the Centre for Peace and Strategic Studies, University of Ilorin, Kwara State.

The NEMA DG explained that out of 1,884, 331 persons affected by Boko Haram, 56 per cent were children, 55 per cent females, 45 per cent males, and seven per cent above 60 years of age.

He said, “The total value of physical and durable assets destroyed in the most affected states is estimated at N1.48tn; the total value of losses across all sectors of economic activity is estimated at N1.1tn. The combined value of damages and losses is N2.6trn.”

Experts also used the occasion to discuss other disasters affecting the country and how to tackle them.

Vice-Chancellor of Unilorin, Prof. Sulyman Abdulkareem, was represented by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Academics, Prof. Sidikat Ijaiye, and Prof. Noah Yusuf.

Chairman of the occasion, Prof. Nuhu Yaqub, stated that Nigerians should not be indifferent to disasters such as earthquakes but engage in preventive measures or adopt sound management strategies in case of occurrence.

Yaqub, who is a former VC of University of Abuja and Sokoto State University, called on the government to ensure better funding of disaster management agencies.

He said, “Government should take disaster management seriously. I know we have NEMA and other agencies but they are not adequately funded.

“Adequate funding should be given to these bodies. They also need to train manpower because you cannot solve any problems whether man-made or natural if you do not have the right skills.”