‘How IDPs in FCT sell donated food to buy drugs’

An internally displaced person at the Durumi Internally Displaced Persons (lDPs) camp, FCT, Mr. Umoru Gola, has said they sometimes sell a part of donated food items to buy medical supplies.

Gola, who is also the spokesperson of the IDP camp, disclosed this during a media round table/ public presentation of report on management of internal displacement crisis in Nigeria by the Journalists for Christ International Outreach (JFC), in Abuja.

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He alleged that IDPs were being denied treatment at the hospitals since they don’t have money to pay for treatment and drugs.

He added that they had to sell some of the food stuff donated to them to pay the hospitals bills.

According to him, most of the hospitals no longer give the IDPs free treatment, especially at the National hospital, so “we sell the bags of food stuff given to us to treat some of our people who are very sick at the camp”.

“Some of our people, who have been having severe health challenges, are not attended to at the National hospital and we are no longer recognized,” he said.

“If donors bring foodstuffs that are not in bags, we share but the one donated to us in bags, we keep them in the store till when we need it to sell for medical emergency issues,” he stated.

On security challenges, Gola lamented there were so many dangerous areas along the Area 1, Durumi axis where drugs are sold and crimes are committed.

“Some of our boys have also become drug addicts and the IDP camps now harbour criminals,” he said.

Commenting earlier on the IDPs situation in Nigeria, the Executive Director, Peace Development Project (Research Consultant ) Francis Abayomi, said lack of credible data is stalling comprehensive support to the IDPs.

He said that there were several camps that are not recognized and captured in the Federal Government’s plans, noting that there was the need to monitor how resources are disbursed and channeled to the IDP.

“Journalists should pay attention to those displaced through crisis and how they have survived”.

“We need the enabling laws, the need to strengthen the legislative and legal framework and welfare of security agency is also very important,” he said.