TheCable

The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) says it has arrested a suspect for allegedly duping 9,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) of N27 million under the guise of supplying them with food stuff.

Abdullahi Ibrahim, commandant of the NSCDC in Borno state, said the suspect was arrested in Mairi area of Maiduguri.

The suspect is alleged to have collected N300 each from the 9, 000 IDPs currently taking refuge in different camps in Maiduguri.

“Our men found out that some of the women in the IDP camps were grumbling that they paid for food supply without being delivered,” Ibrahim said.

“It is very unfortunate that some people will go to this length and defraud this people who had suffered great trauma in the hands of Boko Haram insurgency.

“After going to the man’s house, we discovered that he did not have anything worth N10,000. We don’t know what they are using the money for, but we are still investigating him.”

Ibrahim cautioned IDPs to be vigilant and wary of scrupulous elements activities in the society.

Meanwhile, the National Commission for Refugees (NCR) has distributed relief materials to IDPs and returnees from Cameron being sheltered in Gamboru Ngala, a community in Borno.

The relief materials distributed include mobile clinic, foodstuff, building materials, primary school materials and household items like bedding materials or bed sheets, plastic buckets and bowls as well as leather mats, detergents, soaps and sanitary items.

The items were presented to Abdulrahman Abdulkarim, caretaker chairman of Ngala local government council for inward distribution to the returnees  and other beneficiaries.

While distributing the items to the refugees, Abdulkarim urged the beneficiaries to be steadfast in their prayers for peace to return to the area and state at large.