TheCable

The National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI) says over 6.1 million Nigerians have been displaced by insecurity and natural disasters.

Tijjani Aliyu, NCFRMI federal commissioner, said this on Friday during a visit to Dikko Radda, governor of Katsina state.

He said in 2022, the commission had about three million displaced persons, but natural disasters like floods have doubled the number.

“With floods and other natural disasters, we now have an additional 100 percent of such displaced people,” he said.

“Today, I can authoritatively say that we have not less than 6.1 million Nigerians displaced out of their homes.

“What do we do if all of them cannot go back, how do we fend for them? Can the government continue to fend for them, and provide them succour?

“Absolutely not possible, we have to find a way to teach these individuals trades, give them skills, so that at the end of the day, they can be on their own.”

He said the commission plans to construct three skill acquisition centres across north-east from the 2024/2025 budget.

Aliyu said the commission was in Katsina to distribute food items to about 700 displaced people and enrol the IDPs in insurance schemes to take care of health challenges.

Responding, the governor commended the commission’s gesture, saying it is the collective responsibility of the state and federal governments to ensure the well-being of the IDPs.

He said the state had recently witnessed a surge in security challenges, and the worst affected areas were the food basket of the state.

The governor said with the inauguration of the Katsina Security Watch Corps (SWC) and the recent deployment of additional security operatives by the federal government, the security situation had improved.