The federal government has dismissed rumors that it is planning to relocate Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) from the northern part of the country to the South East.
The clarification was made by Tijani Aliyu Ahmed, the Federal Commissioner of the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants, and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI), during a press conference in Abuja on Wednesday, October 9.
The announcement comes in response to recent unrest in Imo State, which followed a visit by the NCFRMI team to the National Open University Centre in Nsu Ehime Mbano Local Government Area.
The visit was part of an initiative to establish a skills acquisition center aimed at training vulnerable groups and youth from the five southeastern states.
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The visit, however, sparked fears and rumors of a possible transfer of IDPs from northern Nigeria to the region, leading to tension and violence. Angry youths, believing the rumors, set several homes on fire, including the residence of Senator Frank Ibezim, who facilitated the NCFRMI visit and accompanied the team.
In addressing the concerns, Ahmed stated: “We want to categorically state that the NCFRMI’s intervention in Imo State and the entire southeast has no political motives, and it does not in any way intend to bring IDPs from the northern part of Nigeria to reside in the South East.”
He further emphasized that the establishment of the skills acquisition center was a purely humanitarian initiative, meant to provide vocational training, entrepreneurship skills, and capacity-building programs for displaced persons, returnee migrants, refugees, and other vulnerable groups in the southeast, irrespective of their political affiliation, ethnicity, or religious inclination.
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“The commission equally wants to state that no money was given to any person or persons for the purpose of utilizing the facility, as it belongs to the government. The proposed skills acquisition center is meant to be a critical resource for the community and to support the training of persons of concern and youths in the region,” he added.
The commissioner lamented the misinformation that led to the unrest and destruction of properties, describing it as the handiwork of “unscrupulous elements” who sought to create division and sow discord in the community.
Ahmed also highlighted the challenges faced by displaced persons in the South East, noting that out of the over six million people facing displacement in Nigeria, a significant number reside in the region due to ecological challenges such as erosion, landslides, and other forms of environmental degradation.
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“In 2024 alone, the commission facilitated the return of 4,550 stranded migrants, with no fewer than 30 percent of them originating from the South East,” he stated, adding that the region also hosts approximately 500 non-Nigerian nationals seeking asylum as refugees.
The federal commissioner reassured the public that the NCFRMI’s activities are solely focused on providing humanitarian support and fostering community development, urging residents to remain calm and cooperate with the government’s efforts to uplift vulnerable groups in the region.