By Musdapha Ilo

In spite of the horrible experiences of displaced persons in the North east, some good news to celebrate and cheer came over the weekend from Internally displaced Persons, IDP, camps in Mubi in Adamawa State and Maiduguri, the Borno State capital.

While seven women were successfully delivered of babies at the Mubi transit camp where Nigerian returnees from the Republic of Cameroun are being temporarily accommodated, seven other female IDPs, were on Sunday married off at an elaborate wedding in Maiduguri.

At the Mubi transit camp, Health workers assisted in the safe delivery of the seven pregnant women, who delivered four girls and three boys, who are said to be in stable condition.

The director general of the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, Muhammad Sani Sidi, who had earlier visited Mubi said 5,762 returnees have been transported by the agency to IDP camps in Yola, Adamawa State.

Sidi was accompanied by the deputy governor of Borno State, Zanna Umar Mustapha, who promised that the welfare of the returnees remained a top priority for the authorities.

The director, Search and Rescue of NEMA, Charles Otegbade, an Air Commodore, said that 4,641 of the returnees were transported at the weekend in addition to the 1, 121 earlier moved.

He disclosed that out of this number, 650 persons have been transported from the camps in Yola to Borno State.

He also said that more returnees were still being expected at the border post.

He disclosed that those transported to Yola have been taken to the IDP camps in Damare, NYSC camp, Malkohi and also a new location in Fufore.

He assured that all returnees arriving at the border would be duly assisted and taken to the camps for proper care.

In Maiduguri, the wedding of the women, all displaced from Bama, a town captured by the insurgents last year, was sponsored by the treasurer of the state chapter of the All Progressive Congress, APC, and attracted many from across the state and North east.

The event, which took place at the Government Reserved Area, GRA, residence of the APC chieftain witnessed the glamour of Kanuri tradition and was celebrated in accordance with the dictates of Islam.

Kolo said he decided to sponsor the wedding to give a sense of belonging to the IDPs who lacked the resources to marry. He said that his motivation was derived from the need to strengthen the institution of marriage in the community.

All the newly wedded brides took turns in expressing joy at the event and thanked Kolo for the gesture.

One of the beneficiaries, Amina Bukar, said she had wanted to formalize her marriage since 2014 but was constrained by lack of funds.