Zamfara currently has 30,000 IDPs – Speaker

Speaker of Zamfara State House of Assembly, Alh. Sanusi Rikiji, says there are currently about 30,000 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the state.

Rikiji, who is also Chairman of the state’s Damage and Assessment Committee, made the disclosure in Gusau on Friday, when Wives of Nigerian Governors paid a visit and donated some items to IDPs in the state.

“We are presently managing close to 30,000 IDPs in the state, many of whom are also squatting with friends and relatives in different parts of the state.

“These are people who were displaced as a result of bandits’ activities who kill, maim, steal, burn and kidnap innocent people.

“My committee has been able to rehabilitate, reconstruct and reunite thousands of such victims, many of whom are women and children, through financial and material support from the state government,’’ he said.

The speaker commended the governors’ wives for identifying with the victims; and assured them that the relief materials would be delivered to the IDPs.

Earlier, wife of the President, Mrs Aisha Buhari, who was represented by the wife of Imo state governor, Mrs Nkechi Okorocha, said the `first ladies’ were in Zamfara in solidarity with victims, who were mostly women.

Mrs Buhari commended the security architecture put in place by government at all levels to tackle armed banditry and other criminal activities in the state.

She urged Nigerians to continue to pray for the country and for the success of the current administration to rid Nigeria of all evil and ensure lasting peace.

News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that nine wives of the state governors from Sokoto, Kebbi, Katsina, Niger, Kogi, Imo, Plateau, Yobe, Gombe and Ekiti states were in attendance.

NAN also reports that the items donated included foodstuff, toiletries and clothes.