President Muhammadu Buhari has looked beyond the release of Chibok school girls by their captors, Boko Haram insurgents fearing that the biggest problem now is the issue of internally displaced persons (IDPs).
He said that there out of over 2 million of IDPs, 60 percent of the children don’t know their parents, or where they come from.
President Buhari who spoke today, Monday at a meeting with the leader of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), Mr. Peter Maurer, said that the issue of IDPs made up of mainly women and children is weighing heavily on government.
The President, who commended the role played by ICRC in the recent release of the 21 abducted Chibok schoolgirls even as he asked for sustained humanitarian interest in Nigeria.
President Buhari said that his administration is prepared to continue talks with the Boko Haram insurgent group, “as long as they agree to involve international agencies like ICRC.
“We’ve seen the result of recent talks, 21 of the Chibok girls are back,” the President said, referring to the role played by ICRC in providing immediate humanitarian assistance to the girls, who had spent over 900 days in the hands of their abductors.
On rebuilding of destroyed infrastructure, President Buhari said it was a priority of government, noting that the G7 had equally indicated support, which Nigeria heartily welcomed.
“We appreciate all your efforts. I am pleased you recognized that our military is cooperating with civil authorities, and respecting humanitarian issues. It is a difficult time for Nigeria. About 27 of our 36 states couldn’t pay salaries when we came last year, and we are still struggling with that. But we will get out of it,” the President said.
Maurer, the ICRC President, said their operation in the Lake Chad region is the second largest in the world, after Syria, adding that there are nutritional, health, water and sanitation issues in the North-east, in addition to rebuilding of infrastructure.
“We are ready to engage and play supportive role in responding to crisis in Nigeria. Security is a lot better than it was a year ago, but humanitarian problems are serious, and don’t disappear so quickly,” Maurer said.
The ICRC President also commended Nigeria for granting increased access to detainees, and exchanges with the Armed Forces. He added: “Detention facilities have improved, there are fewer deaths, and things are better health-wise.” [myad]
