Dangote Raises The Alarm Over Human Time Bomb In North East

FUNSHO AROGUNDADE

Nigerian Billionaire mogul, Alhaji Aliko Dangote has raised the alarm over the human time bomb in the North East part of Nigeria.

The businessman was reacting to the growing plight of the over 2.3 million internally displaced persons, IDPs, in the insurgency ravaged region of the country.

Dangote, in a series of tweets, said the IDPs desperately need help to stave off starvation.

According to him, “Yes! We have spent millions of dollars on relief aid to the northeast, but the task of feeding 2.3million people is enormous! We need a coordinated plan involving the Federal and State Governments and International communities to help rebuild the lives of IDPs.

“If we do not act fast, over 2 million people displaced in the north east can be a danger to the world and not just Nigeria or Africa.

The plight of starving childrens in the IDP camps has attracted global attention.

Days ago, the businessman alongside famous Rock star and philanthropist, Bono, visited the IDP camps in Borno State in company of the state governor, Kashim Shettima.

During the visit, Bono said that what he saw in the region was “deeply disturbing.”

They also met with the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo at the Presidential Villa on Monday to discuss the possibilities of a global partnership to address the humanitarian crisis in North-eastern part of the country through international advocacy.

Bono, who is currently in the country to draw international support for victims of insurgency in the North East, said funding to the region needed to be scaled up in order to achieve maximum impact.

The music star further lamented that of the estimated $300 million required as part of the reconstruction programme, only about $100 million had so far been realised, stressing that going by the magnitude of destruction and deprivation in affected areas, there’s need to scale up resources to cope with the humanitarian crisis.

He said working with the Dangote Foundation, he would use his ONE Campaign NGO platform to garner global support towards addressing the plight.

Dangote and Bono said their new partnership will focus on the most marginalised citizens, particularly girls and women, who face the brunt of poverty and help, empower those most at risk from extreme poverty, extreme climate and extreme ideology.

Specifically, Dangote said: “I am in ONE and partners across Nigeria to strengthen civil society and help the government respond to our ongoing health needs and the urgent malnutrition crisis in North-east Nigeria. ONE’s extensive network of youth groups and its 2.3 million members will help bring international attention to and action on these issues. All of us can and must do more.”

On his part, Bono, an ambassador for the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) and the leader of the rock group, U2, said: “I am proud to be standing alongside Dangote, whose foundation works for the future of Nigeria and Africa through its young people. The youth of Nigeria, Africa and indeed everywhere are like rocket fuel- there are no limits to how far they can go, they can transform the continent-or they can blow up in your face. Harnessing their energy requires investment in their education, employment and healthcare.”

Bono said he was particularly heartbroken at the condition of displaced persons-some children never knew their parents and some severely malnourished.

ONE campaign is a powerful global advocacy group which was instrumental in Nigeria’s debt cancellation, which led to its exit from the Paris Club and it’s incursion into the country at the request of Dangote is expected to produce more concrete results in the rebuilding of the North East.