* Camp Said To Have Been Turned To a Hub For Unwholesome Activities
By Princess Simon (Bureau Chief North Central, in Minna)
The Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camp, established by the Niger state government to provide temporary abode for victims of flooding in the area have been closed down.
Reasons for the closure of the IDPs camp is not limited to security concerns, and the allegations that the camp was fast becoming a hub used for unwholesome activities which exposes more of the victims, especially the females and the host communities to various dimensions of risk.
The temporary camp was established by the Nigerian Red Cross Society to serve as a temporary shelter for victims of Mokwa flood, supported by UNICEF who provided the victims with medications to meet their health needs.
The Chairman of Mokwa LGA, Alhaji Jibrin Abdullahi Muregi, who announced the state government's approval for the closure of the camp said the decision to close the camp was reached during an expanded security meeting which took place at the Council's Secretariat, Mokwa.
Although the Nigerian Red Cross Society had written to the council seeking for approval to build a temporary shelter for the flood victims, Muregi said the Council never gave its approval before they went ahead to construct the camps.
The IDPs camp as it stands today poses imminent danger to not only to Mokwa town but neighbouring villages and state hence the resolve to close it.
The Council Chairman, describing the continued existence of the IDPs camp as, "danger in disguise', said the government had taken proactive steps to address the situation before it gets out of control.
Mokwa Local Government, the Chairman said had received several complaints from the locals about how the IDPs camp was infiltrated by persons who were not originally victims of the 29th May, 2025 flood disaster which claimed hundreds of lives and properties worth billions of Naira destroyed.
In response to the series of complaints, the local government wrote officially to other organisations to vacate the premises within 24 hours and also notified traditional security agencies and the state Governor of actions taken to avert security breaches.
Shutting down the camp, according to Muregi was done in the best interest of the state. "Decision to close down the IDPs camp was taken to ensure safety of lives and sources of livehood of the entire Mokwa community and environs".
Contrary to insinuations that everything about the Mokwa flood victims were fraught with irregularities, the Chairman said the meeting where decisions were made concerning the IDPs camp was not only enlarged but had in attendance by the village head of Mokwa (Ndalile of Mokwa), Alhaji Muhammed Shaba, Etsuyamkpa of Ndayako, Sarkin Hausawa of Mokwa, the head of security agencies in the area, Alhaji Tanko Bala, Mokwa Council members, including the legislature.
The demolition of the structures were as well, witnessed by the Area Commander of the Nigeria Police Force, New Bussa Area Command, ACP Godwin Ihean and the heads of other security agencies.
In his short remarks, Alhaji Muhammed Shaba, the Ndalile of Mokwa, said over 85 per cent of the flood victims have been paid compensation according to the state government's directive.
The community leader was however quick to point out that those accusing the handlers of the entire compensation exercise of inconsistencies may be victims of their own mistakes.
While all the victims of Mokwa flood disaster who met all the requirements have been paid, the traditional ruler revealed that some may not have been able to get financial benefits like others due to inconsistencies in their Bank accounts.
Also speaking, a neighbour to the Mokwa IDPs camp, Malam Musa Sheshi, expressed relief over the camp's closure, adding that, "The camp is very close to our house, the aim of the camp by the Red Cross Society is to help flood the victims, but that has not been the case".
"Majority of the people allocated shelters in the camp were not flood victims. When you come in the afternoon, the camp always looks empty, you won't see anyone, but in the night, you will see a lot of people of different calibre that we do not know".
While expressing appreciation to the government for closure, Sheshi said he and other members of the neighborhood have been in fears that the camp could as well be serving as potential hideout for armed bandits if nothing was done to dismantle the facilities.
Others villagers who spoke on the same subject matter, including Yusuf Isah, alleged that some men and women were using the camp for immoral activities.
"Some men used to come and sleep with women in the night and go in the morning you won't see anybody in the afternoon", adding that the facility functions more like night life hub while it is always empty during the day. NNL.
