Revolt In Kogi Flood Refugee Camp As Victims Take To The Streets In Protest

Lokoja, the Kogi state capital yesterday, witnessed a protest by hundreds of flood victims who stormed the streets, accusing the state government of abandoning them for over one week in spite of huge funds and materials collected on their behalf.

Kogi State Governor: Capt. Idris Wada

The protesters, some of who wore gloomy faces, with some in tattered  dresses, while a number of them were seen clutching their babies, alleged that government officials have diverted some of the food items meant for them into private use.
One of the protesters who identified herself as Hassan Mohammed, a middle aged woman with a six month old baby strapped to her back and holding three other of her children, narrated their travails at the camp sites amid tears: “ Na one loaf of bread dem dey serve a family of about six every morning while  in some cases dem go give us a satchet of indomie. Na so so big money we dey hear say they donate but nothing dey come to us, we are dying”, she narrated in pidgin English.
The federal government had in the wake of the flood disaster, made some donations to all the states affected with Kogi State receiving over N500 million.
Other donations are over N430 million including truck loads of rice from the Dangote foundation, Jide Omokore, a business mogul also donated N50 million and a former governorship aspirant donated N10 million with truck loads of other relief materials. This is aside other numerous donations from corporate bodies, individuals and international donors.
The victims of the flood who are mainly from St. Luke Primary School Adankolo camp, came out as early as 8.00 am chanting war songs with various anti government placards. The Spokesman of the Flood Victims, Aaron Haruna alleged that  the Camp leader in connivance with other government officials,  diverted materials donated by public spirited individuals and corporate bodies leaving them hungry
“Food items, cooking utensils, stoves, mattresses even drugs have been diverted as soon as they were brought in to the camp “The other day soldiers brought 40 bags of rice to be shared to us but some government officials stole them and up till now we have not seen the trace of the rice again”, he stressed.
As part of efforts to ensure that the  protest was not hijacked by the hoodlums, the Deputy Commissioner of Police Mr. Zannah Ibrahim and other police officers, led the protesters to Government House. While persuading the victims to be peaceful, the state police Commissioner, Alhaji Mohammed Musa Kastina stated that the protesters should conduct themselves in a manner which will not degenerate into breach of peace in the state. Katsina appealed to the protesters to be calm and cooperate with the state government over the issue, stating that the government was working round the clock to ensure that the victims get what belong to them.
In his reaction, the Deputy Governor,Yomi Awoniyi denied allegations by the protesters that they have been abandoned saying government was trying its best. Awoniyi said the state government was not in a haste to share money realized from the flood disaster saying that the state government has already set up a committee to go round all the affected nine local government areas of the state, to assess the extent of damages on the property of the affected victims. Awoniyi who stressed that it was unfair for the protesters to accuse the camp officers of not giving them food, alleged that it was rather the victims of the floods that have been selling the food items given to them in the markets.
 InformationNigeria.org