The Senate on Wednesday urged the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development to urgently provide succour for over 100,000 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Kogi State.
The upper chamber also called on the Ministry to provide minimal seed capital for the women and youths in the affected communities to assist their various economic activities.
These resolutions followed a motion on the matter raised by the Senator representing Kogi East Senatorial District, Senator Jibrin Isa, at plenary.
Senator Isa in his lead debate called on the Senate to note that over 100,000 inhabitants of Bassa Local Government Area in Kogi State have been displaced due to communal hostilities in the state.
He said that the crises took place between Ebira and Bassa Kumo people in the Local Government from 2016 to 2019.
He lamented that the people are now suffering from the effect of the wanton destruction of property worth hundreds of millions of Naira.
He said that the Senate is aware that the bridge linking the affected communities was completely razed down and that no fewer than 146 persons were killed by ethnic militias during the attack of 8th of January 2019.
Isa said: “Concerned that after much persuasion the displaced persons have resolved to return to their ancestral homes but cannot get shelters.
“Further concerned that the educational institutions have been destroyed with many buildings and other facilities completely burnt down thereby making it absolutely difficult for the children of the affected communities to access educational facilities.
“Aware that the number of out of school children in the affected communities is disheartening as this poses a serious danger to the future of the children, the communities and the nation in general.
“Also aware that apart from the destruction of schools, health centers are obviously non-existent to cater for the health needs of the communities as the few existing ones have been lost to the hostilities and this has increased the rate of mortality in the affected communities.
“Cognizant that markets, petrol stations, shops and various business outfits in the affected communities have been completely destroyed thereby throwing the people to an inevitable state of economic helplessness.”
Senator representing Kogi Central, Senator Yakubu Oseni supported the motion.
He urged his colleagues to support the call on the federal government to urgently provide relief materials to the affected communities.
The two prayers of the motion were unanimously approved when put to voice vote by the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan.