Niger government, yesterday, said it had spent over N5 billion in the maintenance of 151,380 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) currently taking refuge in about 50,584 camps in 13 local government areas of the state.
Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Ahmed Matane, who disclosed this to newsmen in Minna, yesterday, said the gesture took place in the last two years.
Matane said the state government was currently running the affairs of the camps in the 13 local government areas of Shiroro, Rafi, Bosso, Munya, Paikoro, Mariga, Kontagora, Mashegu, Wushishi, Rijau, Burgu, Lapai and Lavun.
“We have 14,994 women, 4,992 men, 30,584 children 4,466, pregnant women, 5,811 lactating mothers, 1,370 those with health challenges and 722 aged persons across the existing camps.”
He said Rafi Local Government Area had 28,987 IDPs living in 13,989 camps.
He said 4,124 among them were women,1,089 were men,8,774 children,1,206 pregnant women,1615 lactating mothers, 391 suffering from various sickness and 238 aged persons.
“We have 27,678 of the IDPs in Shiroro Local Government Area, among whom 13,790 are women, 3,570 men, 9,245 children, 1,156 pregnant women, 944 lactating mothers, 476 suffering from diseases and 162 aged persons. We also have many people from the area that are living in rented apartments as IDPs that were spread across the state and beyond,’’ the SSG said.