The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Betta Edu, said on Friday the Federal Government would resettle the 22,000 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) scattered in various communities of Niger State.
The minister stated this during the presentation of starter packs to some of the IDPs at the Gwada camp in Shiroro.
Edu decried the activities of bandits and terrorists that had forced the closure of more than 400 schools and more than 11,000 children into the streets.
She said: “The situation is unacceptable; the Federal Government has put in place stringent measures to end banditry, terrorism and other forms of security challenges in the country.
“The President said I should tell you all that hope has come and that he will provide durable solutions to all the things that are bothering us.“We have seen a couple of things, especially regarding your poor living conditions.
“We are here to assess the situation and ensure that we intervene to change things for the better.“We are considering resettling all the IDPs here because of the insecurity in their various places; we are optimistic that resettling them in Shiroro will be better for now.
“We will provide a resettlement city where everyone who is displaced can live so that you can be safe and your children can also go back to school.”
The minister, who expressed concern at the number of out-of-school children in the state, stressed the importance of education in addressing poverty and other vices in the society.She added that the government had initiated sustainable plans that would ensure the security of lives and property in all communities across the state.
