COVID-19: SEMA bans visits to IDPs camps in Borno

SADIQ ABUBAKAR, Maiduguri 

State Emergency Management Agency in Borno State has imposed a four-week ban on visitors to all Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camps in the state.

The Executive Chaiman, Hajiya Yabawa Kolo, disclosed this at a meeting with about 50  IDPs camps managers on Monday, saying that the decision was part of the state government strategies to contain the spread of the coronavirus in the state.

“We know we have a lot of threat around us following sighting of suspected cases of the virus in Cameroon and Chad and we have some border towns very close to those countries.

“We do not want to go to the issue of response because even in developed countries, it was difficult for them to contain this pandemic. So at our own level, we are positioning ourselves to see how best we can stop the virus from transmitting in the state.”,Yabawa said 

She added that the state government  took the decision as one of the strategies to prevent the importation of the coronavirus into the IDPs camps in the state,.

Yabawa explained further that the measure became necessary as some of the neighbouring countries of  Chad, Niger and Cameroon  Republics have started  recording cases for of the coronavirus.

She however noted that in spite of the closure of the international borders  with the neighbouring countries, there was still influx of IDPs into the state.

The SEMA Chairman further warned  IDPs camp managers from Gamboru-Ngala, Damasak, Kala Balge, Banki, Bama and Monguno not to accept IDPs from any neighbouring countries into their camps.