By Musdapha Ilo, Maiduguri

The National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, is to resume the weekly distribution of relief items to internally displaced persons, IDP, camps in Borno State.

The North east coordinator of the agency, Mohammed Kanar, made this known on Sunday when he had a meeting with stakeholders.

The weekly distribution, which was introduced about three months ago, was temporarily suspended as a result of the general elections.

Explaining the reason for the suspension, Kanar said it was necessary so as to avoid politicians taking advantage of the efforts.

“We had to stay back for a while because a number of polling units were located at the camps and we do not want to be involved in the politics at the camps during the elections.

“We felt that the best thing was to suspend large scale distribution of relief materials to avoid politicization,” Kanar said.

The NEMA boss, however, said the suspension of the distribution did not mean displaced persons were abandoned, adding that materials were taken to camps, particularly Lamisula Primary Schools, where persons displaced few days to the elections were kept.

He also explained that in addition to the materials given out last week, the agency had gotten more that it intends to give out.

“We have just received 10 new tents from the head office for onward distribution to some IDPs camps like the Federal Training Centre Dalori where the rescued Bama residents are being kept,” Kanar explained.