The director general, Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA), Ahmed Ibrahim Inga, has said there is an upsurge in the population of internally displaced persons (IDPs) in camps in the state.
He said the upsurge was caused by daily attacks on villages by bandits in recent weeks adding that it was not caused by natural disasters.
It was gathered that no fewer than 10,000 new IDPs have joined those in the camps in Bosso, Munya , Shiroro and Rafi local government areas in recent weeks.
Inga said; “The issue of IDPs in Niger State is not the same as that of natural disasters. The IDPs we are having are as a result of the banditry.
“Two days ago, we had some attacks which surged the populations in camps on and off situation. So, we don’t have a static figure because of the nature of attacks we receive on daily basis.
“I may give you figures now, and in the next one hour, if there is an attack, the number would surge.”
The director general said the IDPs were in banditry infected areas of Rijau, Rafi, Munya, Shiroro, Mariga and some part of Bosso local government areas.
Meanwhile, the member representing Chachanga federal constituency, Umar Mohammed Bago, has donated relief materials and food items to IDPs in the state.
Bago, represented by his chief of staff, Abdul-hakeem Oshonuga, said the gesture was to cushion the hardship of the displaced persons.
The items donated included 3, 200 bags of rice, 2, 400 bags of maize, 2, 400 bags of millet and 2, 000 cartons of Indomie noodles.
The secretary to the state government, Ahmed Ibrahim Matane, received the items from Oshonuga.
The SSG said the two major IDP camps were in Gwada and Kuta in Shiroro local government areas where bandits had operated more often recently and therefore appreciated the donor for the gesture.
He appealed to other wealthy individuals and philanthropists to assist the IDPs with food items until the security situation improves for them to return home.
Matane promised that the items would be delivered appropriately to the IDPs, saying the state government, through NSEMA, would be accountable for the distribution of the donated items.