Of the 275 persons that were rescued and
handed over to the National Emergency Management Agency by the 23
Armoured Brigade of the Nigerian Army about two weeks, 63 children were
unaccompanied while six women have been confirmed pregnant.
It was learnt that more rescued victims
from insurgents in Sambisa Forest were still being expected from the
Nigerian Army, as the Federal Government in conjunction with
humanitarian experts from the United Nations were working hard to help
reintegrate the women and children with their respective families.
NEMA’s Senior Information Officer, Mr.
Sani Datti, confirmed to our correspondent on Sunday that the rescued
victims were being catered for in various camps by the agency and the
UN.
He noted that the UN Resident
Coordinator in Nigeria, Daouda Toure, and NEMA’s Director-General, Sani
Sidi, assured the rescued women and children of social, psychological
and health supports before they reintegrated with their families.
The duo made the pledge when they interacted with internally displaced persons at Malkohi Camp, Yola.
Sidi said the agency had engaged tailors
to sew at least five sets of clothes for each of the rescued women and
children, as most of them came with only the clothes they wore.
The NEMA boss said a mobile clinic had
been deployed for medical screening to identify those who needed
treatment, while the agency in collaboration with UN agencies had
mobilised a team of experts in psycho- trauma counselling and medical
doctors to provide all the necessary medical care to the rescued.
He said most of the rescued children were severely malnourished and had eye infections.
Taure told the rescued women and
children that the world and their families had missed them but the UN
agencies would support the Nigerian government in providing their needs
to facilitate their reintegration with their communities.
He said the UN had directed all its relevant agencies to provide all the needed assistance and support to them.
According to NEMA, infant feeding, children’s clothes, diapers and sanitation items were provided to 21 nursing mothers.
Source- Punch
No comments:
Post a Comment