Speaker of Nigeria’s federal house of representatives, Honourable Yakubu Dogara, on Monday said the number of internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Nigeria’s north-east region, in the aftermath of sustained terrorist attacks over the years, has risen to five million.
Dogara made the disclosure while receiving the head of United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR), Ms Angel Antangara, in his office.
The speaker further told Antangara that the issue of IDPs was dear to the house of representatives under his leadership because internally displaced persons were also Nigerians who are being represented at the national assembly by members of the House.
Dogara said, “as an indigene of the North-East, it is safe to say the number of IDPs in Nigeria can be up to five million. The UNHCR deals with symptoms of terrorism which is the displacement.”
Dogara therefore appealed for help from spirited individuals and organizations, including the UNHCR, to come to the aid of the displaced persons.
Speaking earlier, Ms Antangara said her office was providing solutions both locally and internationally.
Antangara stated that the UNHCR intervenes to help people regarded as stateless or borderless, adding that she was in Nigeria to look at the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between Nigeria and the UNHCR.
FROM: Vanguard
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