TheCable

There has been no provision for treating insurgency victims in any of Nigeria’s budget between 2009 and 2017, TheCable has learnt.

Boko Haram launched its campaign of violence in 2009, following the death of Mohammed Yusuf, the brain behind the sect.

Since then, the country had catered for insurgency victims via aid and donations made by foreign agencies, a number of local agencies, and some individuals.

Bashir Tahir, chairman of the medical advisory committee (CMAC) of the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH) told TheCable that not a single kobo was budgeted for the treatment of insurgency victims within that period.

“Not a single kobo; no provision for them in the budget… we use internally generated revenue, our revolving funds to take care of them. We have different revolving funds, and we are using the money for Public Private Patrnership,” he said.

Tahir said the last time the Borno state government gave the hospital money on behalf of the victims was in 2011 when it released N10 million.

“From 2009 till date, we have spent nearly N200 million. We got N10 million from Borno state government in 2011. NEMA brought N30 million with the instruction that the money should be used to take care of the patients that they bring.

“They are even owing us N9 million. We spent N39 million treating their patients before we stopped and even when we stopped, we were treating those on admission.

“The Presidential Committee for North-East initiative is renovating some parts of the hospital, but have also not released money for the treatment of insurgency victims.”

The initiative was inaugurated in October, 2016.

Checks by TheCable revealed that in the 2017 budget, only three ministries set aside funds for correcting the impact of insurgency in the north-east, with no specifics for treatment of victims.

The ministry of power, works and housing, voted N2.21 billion for the reconstruction of bridges and roads destroyed as a result of insurgency, and the provision of solar mini-grid in the region.

The ministry of interior has a N7.698 billion special intervention fund for the north-east and the Niger Delta in the 2017 budget, but with no payments for treating insurgency victims.

In 2017, another N45 billion was set aside for north-east intervention fund, under the ministry of budget and national planning.

It is however unclear, if hospitals will get any of the funds above, for treating victims of the hostility of Boko Haram.