Internally displaced persons and many residents in Yobe, Borno and Adamawa states are going to starve during the holy month of Ramadan unless they get urgent help from the federal government, state commissioners and non-governmental organisations (NGOs).
The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar, announced on Monday on the Nigerian Television Authority that, following the sighting of the moon, Ramadan would start yesterday.
Ramadan is the ninth lunar month in the Islamic calendar and it is a time of spiritual reflection, self-improvement and heightened devotion and worship. Muslims are expected to put more effort into following the teachings of Islam. Every day the fast begins at dawn and ends at sunset.
Abubakar, president of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, urged all Muslims to use the holy month to pray fervently for the country and to indulge in acts of charity. He also warned people to observe COVID-19 protocols.
“I’tikaf should still be put on hold while strict observance of all COVID19 protocols, including avoiding lengthy or crowded sessions, should be observed.”
RNI reporter Alhaji Sharif Bura spoke to internally displaced persons at various camps in Damaturu in the Gujba Local Government Area in Yobe State yesterday. Almost everyone said they did not have money and had to start the fast without having made any preparations.
Yawudi Abba Goniri, an internally displaced person living in a camp in Damaturu, said he could not prepare because of the famine in the northern parts of Nigeria.Goniri accused the commissioners and permanent secretaries of Yobe State of taking all foodstuff sent by the federal government and keeping it for themselves.
“It was meant to eradicate hunger among us, but we did not receive anything. Ever since I was displaced, the Yobe State government has not helped us. Only NGOs help us with food and other essential items,” he said.
He claimed the federal government had sent many things meant for internally displaced persons, but they had not received anything.
“The commissioners, permanent secretaries and directors at different levels of the Yobe government share the food and other items among themselves. They take it home and leave us poor and starving.”
Goniri said the federal government should ensure that everything it sends to people in the camps reaches them.
Baba Goni Bukar, a resident Damaturu, said he did not have any money to feed himself, let alone buy for the holy month of Ramadan.
“Everyone is experiencing hardship. We are all poor. If the government and traditional leaders don’t stand up for us and help us, it will make life during Ramadan very difficult.”
Bukar said: “Last year we held a demonstration at the National Emergency Management Agency because they refused to give food to the right people. The government should identify the relevant people who deserve to be given food.”
Usman Yape, an internally displaced person, said this year’s Ramadan was unprecedented because of the famine. He said everyone was hungry and the pandemic had made life even more difficult.
He hoped the government, NGOs and wealthy individuals would help them with food and other essential items so that they could get through Ramadan.
