The Yobe State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) on Thursday said 419 pupils and students were currently attending primary and secondary schools at Pompomari Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camp, Damaturu. The SEMA Executive Secretary, Alhaji Musa Jidawa, made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Damaturu. He said 382 pupils were enrolled into nursery and primary schools, while 37 students were admitted into class 1-3 of the Junior Secondary School (JSS) in the camp.

The secretary said that the camp was established in 2015 following Boko Haram attacks on Ambiya Kura, Ambiya Bulabulin, Ambiya Tasha, Sharfuri, Shangamari and Turo Kura villages in Gujba Local Government. Jidawa added that although the camp started with 4,211 IDPs, a total of 2,426 persons voluntarily left the camp to pursue their means of livelihood “and the state government supported them with food items and some cash.’’ He explained that fabricated classrooms and tents were erected to serve as classrooms, but were grossly inadequate.

The scribe said Nigeria Army’s education corps personnel and staff of the state Universal Basic Education Board have been teaching at the IDPs camp schools. He commended the wife of the President, Mrs Aisha Buhari, UNICEF, the Victims Support Fund (VSF), Smyle Foundation and Hope Camp, among others, for supporting education in the camp with books, writing materials, school bags and shoes and other instructional materials.

NAN