Currently bearing the main brunt of the insurgency, Bono State is the epicentre of the displacement across northeast Nigeria, where over 2m are living as internally displaced persons (IDP). Of late, the World Bank and several developmental agencies have pledged sums of money to redevelop the area, rebuild local infrastructure and rehabilitate the IDPs.
Emir Sanusi II has now raised an alarm about the crisis, saying that .young children may suffer from the effects of malnutrition. Speaking as the chairman of the University of Lagos Muslim Alumni at its annual lecture and the launch of N150m scholarship endowment fund in Lagos, the emir said we could see a situation similar to what once prevailed in the Horn of Africa.
“If things continue as it is, then we may soon start seeing children of Borno like the pictures of those children we used to see in Ethiopia who were dropping dead on the streets, dying of hunger. Over the last three years, there has not been farming in Borno and the industries have closed down.
"The Lake Chad Basin where some other people do fishing has also been affected because of the Boko Haram crisis and today, there is no farming, no fishing and no industry. The vast majority of people of Borno wake up to eat breakfast and not sure of where to eat again for the rest of the day,” Emir Sanusi added.
Responding to the speech delivered by the minister of power, works and housing, Babatunde Raji Fashola, on the topic Nigeria-Strategies for Sustainable Economy, the emir said when drafting developmental policies, leaders must put in mind the ultimate beneficiaries, the people. He added that for instance a particular commissioner now has about 370 people living in his house in Borno State.
Comments
Post a Comment