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The Defense and Police Officers Wives Association on a visit to the Nasarawa state IDP camp (DEPOWA)
On 13th day of January 2020, the defense and police officers wives association (DEPOWA) went on a visit to the Nasarawa state internally displaced persons (IDP) camp to offer relief materials. This is in line with the commemoration of the 2020 Armed forces Remembrance Day.
On the arrival of the relief materials and food items brought to the camp by the DEPOWA, the joy of the women and children knew no bound as they began chanting praises in show of appreciation.
According to Mr. Bulus Garba, who doubled as the IDP Camp/Programme coordinator of Gurku community and who stood in for his boss welcomed everyone to the internally displaced persons camp in Gurku, Nasarawa State.
In his speech, he gave a brief introduction on how the camp came into being. According to him, “after the attack which chased people away from the north east, the initiator of the camp; Marcus Garmache, a church worker in plateau state housed under his two bedroom apartment in Jos about 60 Christians and Muslims, and at a point he was traumatized to some extent.
On seeing what was going on, he thought of acquiring a place for these people to live in, which was successful in September 2014. On January 8, 2015 work on the site commenced and he was appointed a volunteer coordinator till date.
Relief Materials
By May 12, 2015, the camp was officially commissioned with 62 housing not less than 100 families.
By the special grace of God and support from several organization and individuals, the camp grew from strength to strength.
The Gurku interface community is not just an IDP community but a community.
In his speech, he appreciated the DEPOWA humanitarian visit to the camp while stating that in his research, he realized that this is not just the first, second or third of such kind of humanitarian visits by DEPOWA, stressing that wherever there is DEPOWA branch, you are doing the humanitarian work and prays to grow from grace to grace.
In similar vein, DEPOWA president Dr. Mrs. Omobolanle Olonisakin in her speech started by thanking God for making the visit to the camp a reality.
She salutes the courage of the security agencies who risk their lives for our sake, thereby making their visit possible to identify with the displaced persons in their trying times.
She also salutes the Nasarawa state government, agencies and management of the camp etc. for their efforts so far.
In her speech, she said the boko haram insurgency has made life unbearable to the people despite efforts by the federal and state government through their various emergencies and other international donor partners to curb this.
She also said that DEPOWA agenda is in line with that of Mr. President to support the less privilege in the society, and that’s why they visited to share in their pains and to let them know that they are part of them. She also promised to endeavor to support in their own capacity believing that everyone is important regardless of their situation.
She urged them to encourage each other as long as they remained there as the federal and state government in conjunction with the security agencies makes frantic efforts to ensure they return to their various communities.