Sola Ojo, Kaduna

Human Right Commission (HRC) on Tuesday raised the alarm over the inability of those that were displaced by recent unrest in Kajuru local government of Kaduna State to return to their ancestral homes and continue with their farming activities.

Coordinator of the commission in Kaduna, Gwar E. Terngu, who visited one of the camps in Kaduna for on-the-spot assessment said, the country especially, north-western states might suffer food security and hunger if the government fails to relocate them back home in good time.

“All the efforts are individuals. There hasn’t any been serious intervention from the government according to them. The place is overcrowded for 2,511 people. What they actually need is rebuilding of their homes.

“They are willing to go back to their homes. We may have issues around food security. More people will become poorer. More people may end up adding to security the challenge in the country. The earlier they go back to their places, the better for them.

“Raining season is here and these people are agrarians who survive on farming activities. Apart from their own economy setback, this is hunger looking at us in the face. The government should help them to go back to their homes.

“We don’t just want to act based on what we see in the newspapers. We want to be here to see things for ourselves. We will put our report together and send to the headquarters for possible intervention,” he said

Chairman, Committee on Adara Town Hall Camp, Musa Magaji said the displaced persons were willing to go back to their homes if their houses are rebuilt and security of their lives and properties guaranteed by the state and Federal governments.

According to him, “initially, we have 2,511 displaced persons here. But after the latest attack, that number has increased. We have 1,000 children and over 1,000 about 500 men.

“The challenge here is water and toilet and that was why we don’t even allow them to sleep here because of these things. We also need food and security.

“We have different statistics on IDP camps. Sabon Tasha, Kasuwan Magani, Mararaban Kajuru, Kufana, Iburu, Idon, Crossing and Kachia. In all, we have about 11,000 people there and all of them are willing to go back home.”