N​EMA sets-up committee to ​probe reports of rape, child trafficking in displaced persons’ camps

The Nigerian National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA has stated that it has set-up a committee to look into allegations of attempted rape and child trafficking in some Internally displaced Persons camps in the North-East.

In a released statement signed by Sani Datti, NEMA’s Senior Information Officer, ​the agency​ stated that the initiative was in reaction to an investigation titled “Grim Tales of Rape, Child Trafficking in IDP camps”.
The documentary, an original piece of the International Centre for Investigative Reporting, but also published on Premium Times, shows how IDPs were abused - either raped or trafficked with the complicity of officials.


Mr. Datti further said the NEMA Director-General, Muhammad Sani-Sidi, had a meeting stakeholders in Abuja on Monday during which the committee was set up.
He said the terms of reference of the panel has 2 weeks to finalize its investigations, and verification of the allegations by the centre.

NEMA is also expected to have an interactive session with all stakeholders, hold town hall meetings in all the camps stated in the report, interacting with the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, NEMA North-East Zonal office, State Security Services, the State Emergency Management Agency, Red Cross, Arm, and the Police, among others.

The members of the committee includes representatives of the State Security Service, the Nigerian Police, Nigerian Red Cross Society and Office of the National Security Adviser.
Other members from the National Human Rights Commission, Journalists against Disaster, National Agency for the Prohibition of Traffic in Persons, NEMA, SEMAs in Borno, Adamawa, and Gombe, Civil Defense Corps and the International Organisation for Migration.

The NEMA director-general pleaded with the committee headed by Hajiya Bilkisu Abdullah, a Deputy Director with SSS, to work with utmost transparency and honesty.
(NAN​)​