The presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, Peter Obi has called on the government to urgently improve living conditions for internally displaced persons at the Ramin Kura IDP Camp in Sokoto State.
Obi made the call after visiting the camp in Sokoto North Local Government Area on Monday, September 29, as part of his two-day visit to the state.
On his X handle on Wednesday, he said the camp is currently home to more than 1,000 internally displaced persons, many of whom are living in difficult conditions.
During his visit, Obi said he was particularly concerned by the makeshift shelters and thatched rooms where displaced families are accommodated, noting that some rooms house as many as 10 people.
He also identified inadequate toilet facilities, the absence of a primary healthcare centre and the lack of a basic school for children among the challenges facing residents of the camp.
Obi urged the government and relevant agencies to immediately address the pressing needs of the displaced persons while also tackling the security challenges that forced them to leave their homes.
“I have always insisted that as long as even one Nigerian lives in an IDP camp, we are all internally displaced,” Obi said.
He said temporary accommodation should be made more comfortable while efforts are intensified to create the security conditions necessary for displaced Nigerians to return to their ancestral homes.
Obi also said the visit was his 12th to an IDP camp in Nigeria and pledged to continue supporting displaced Nigerians.
The former presidential candidate further called on political office holders to spend their holidays within the country so they can better understand the challenges faced by vulnerable Nigerians.
He attributed the difficult conditions in the camps to what he described as the failure of government to prioritise critical areas of development.
Obi urged the government and relevant agencies to take immediate steps to provide better facilities and support for residents of the Ramin Kura camp.
He concluded by reiterating his call for a “New Nigeria,” saying: “A New Nigeria is POssible and will be OK.”
