Protesting IDPs remanded in prison

A magistrate court in Wulari, Maiduguri, Borno state, has remanded some internally displaced persons (IDPs) in prison.

Victor Isuku, spokesman of the state police command, disclosed this to journalists on Tuesday.

On Sunday, the IDPs under the aegis of the Bama Initiative for Human Development (BIHD) and All Bama Youths Development Association (ABYD), staged a protest over the poor condition in the camp.

They demanded to return to their respective communities in Bama local government.

Some of them were later arrested and arraigned on a two-count “charge of criminal conspiracy and disturbance of peace”.

“Twelve persons under the group Bama Initiative for Human Development and All Bama Youths Development Association were arrested for the offence of criminal conspiracy and inciting disturbances,” Isuku said in a statement.“They have been charged to court and remanded in prison custody till next hearing.”

“They have been charged to court and remanded in prison custody till next hearing.”

Damian Chukwu, commissioner of police in the state, had appealed to the IDPs not to leave the camp for security reasons.

Things, however, took a different dimension when the police arrested some of them.

This is not the first time that IDPs would protest in camp. Last week, the police arrested Emmanuel Atswen, a NAN journalist, who reported a protest at an IDP camp in Benue.