The relief materials that are in the store is 6000 bags of Rice, all the state were given their allocation by NEMA since last year, ours was given to us and it was recorded, why are they coming to take away our own again?
Internally Displaced Persons at the Taraba camp thronged out in their hundreds on Monday to kick against the diversion of relief material from Taraba State to Borno State by the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA).
The IDPs alleged that the eight trucks of relief materials drove into the State on Sunday but the drivers received directives to head for Borno, which was against the initial directive.
They stated that one of those who were privy to the move hinted the IDPs of the move.
Hon. Kini Nemori, Chairman of IDPs forum in Taraba, who spoke to journalists during the protest action said the IDPs are dying of hunger adding that the decision to divert the materials would further heighten the suffering of the people in the camp.
“IDPs in Taraba state are suffering of hunger, diseases and other related hardship in their various camp and we wonder why the items provided for the IDPs would be diverted to another state,” Nemori said.
Mr. Duna Gembo Bala, Director of Relief and Rehabilitation of Taraba State Emergency Management Agency confirmed the fears of the people while faulting NEMA for masterminding the inhuman act.
“The relief materials that are in the store is 6000 bags of Rice, all the state were given their allocation by NEMA since last year, ours was given to us and it was recorded, why are they coming to take away our own again?
“As I speak to you we have 21700 IDPs in 8 camps only in Jalingo and Ardo Kola over the Fulani JKona crisis. We have been writing to them that we have IDPs that are in camps and they need food.”
However, Mr. Nuvarga Danhabu, Permanent Secretary TSEMA said the state government was not aware of the planned removal of the relief by the NEMA.
He added that the state government would refuse any attempt to divert the materials “until the NEMA establish that the materials were not meant for Taraba state.”