Victor EzejaFollowing reports by several media outlets about an NGO recruiting and paying individuals to burn down Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camps across North East Nigeria, a peacebuilding think tank, Foundation for Peace Professionals also known as PeacePro has called on the federal government of Nigeria to investigate the claim as well as put all international humanitarian NGOs operating in the country on close surveillance.
PeacePro said that the news of an NGO recruiting and paying individuals and groups to commit act of terror in the most vulnerable place such as idp camps is a scary development that should not be treated with soft hand.
In a statement by the Executive Director of PeacePro, Mr Abdulrazaq Hamzat, the group said that in recent weeks, cases of fire outbreaks have been reported in some displaced persons camps in Borno State.
“In March, three persons, including children were confirmed dead after a fire gutted an IDP camp at the Muna Alambari area of Borno.”
“Another fire incident ravaged two IDP camps and a market, resulting in two deaths and N50 million in property damage,” he said.
While it is assumed that these fire incidences are accidental, reports is now claiming otherwise.
According to Hamzat, a viral video circulating online shows a young man confessing to arson — deliberately causing fire outbreaks — in IDP camps and other areas in Borno State.
READ ALSO: PeacePro Urges National Unity Through Peacebuilding
The unidentified suspect, apprehended by a vigilante group, alleged that he was sponsored on the burning mission by two NGOs.
One of the suspected arsonists said he and his accomplices were paid N10,000 per fire, targeting Monguno, Gubio, and Maiduguri. The suspect added that the alleged scheme began over a year ago.
PeacePro said that it followed the reaction of the Borno State government and that of the Nigeria Police and it believes that the federal government must wade into the matter to establish what is truly happening.
Hamzat explained that, Borno State government claimed that a suspect has admitted that he and his “co-conspirators” were “hired” by some NGOs (names withheld) to set internally displaced persons (IDPs) camps on fire.
The announcement was made by the state’s Commissioner for Information and Internal Security, Professor Usman Tar.
The police on the other hand were not so vocal about their findings, calling to question the entire reaction to such a scary development.
PeacePro is therefore calling for a more proactive response to the development by the federal government.
Hamzat maintained that, the indictment of NGOs as contained in the statement of Borno State government is enough to declare a state of emergency on the operations of all humanitarian NGOs in the North East to truly ascertain what is happening because NGOs are supposed to be aid workers not terrorist suspects.
“We are calling on the federal government to look into the matter and establish the truth of what is happening in North East, particularly on the allegation against NGOs sponsoring burning of IDP camps.”
Victor Ezeja is a passionate journalist with six years of experience writing on economy, politics and energy. He holds a Masters degree in Mass Communication.
