Shettima apologises to UN, says ‘you were there during our darkest hours’

Kashim Shettima, governor of Borno state, has apologised to the United Nations (UN) for accusing its aid agencies of misusing funds meant for internally displaced persons (IDPs).

On Tuesday, the governor criticised UNICEF and said only eight aid agencies out of 126 were doing good work in the north-eastern state.

“A lot of the UN agencies, we hardly know what they are doing. We see them driving in very flashy white vehicles but – hardly see them on the ground,” Shettima had said.

But speaking when Edward Kallon, humanitarian coordinator and other senior UN officials paid him a visit, Shettima said he was misrepresented by journalists.

He said he was angry at indigenous non-governmental organisations (NGOs) whose aim “is to defraud IDPs”.

“Honestly, from the bottom of my heart we are grateful to the United Nations for all it has been doing towards rehabilitation and resettlement of our displaced people,” he said.

“My anger was largely on indigenous NGOs who are based in Maiduguri, who are going to the media to provide account numbers to defraud donors.

“I know a particular NGO that went to the Dalori camp, posed with our IDPs and snap pictures, go and claim funds from an international donor agency.

“Two days, we were in Konduga with the UNHCR where building materials assistance was given to about 5,000 IDPs who returned to their librated communities.

“I made mention of NGOs like World Food Programme (WFP), UNFPA, IOM, IVRC, Danish and Norwegian Refugees Council and UNHCR, which I said were really doing well.

“Even the UNICEF, it was my commissioner for health, Mr Haruna Mshelia, who later enlightened me on some of the intervention the UNICEF are giving.

“I am referring to those who are exploiting our people, those who are making accommodation very high.

“I am very aware of your support to the plight of our people. During our darkest hours, the UN followed us to Bama to provide services to our displaced people.

“I therefore want to render an unreserved apology for the pain I have caused you.

“We solicit for your support especially on the reconstruction, rehabilitation and resettlement of our people.

“We also appeal to you to touch lives here in the host community of Maiduguri.

“One of the areas of our significant concern is the area of the girl child education. If it takes me to kneel down before you I will do just that,”

While on a visit to Sunday Ochoche, executive director of victims support fund (VSF), Kallon said humanitarian services have reached about two million people in the north-east.

“The challenges are enormous but there has been a lot of progress on humanitarian response since October 2016 when I assumed duty as the UN resident humanitarian coordinator and UNDP resident representative to Nigeria,” Kallon said.

“Before I came, the international community was barely reaching 100,000; however, in December, humanitarian assistance was reaching over 1 million families.

“Presently, humanitarian assistance is reaching about two million people in the north-east; there has been a huge progress so far.

“The UN system is an accountable system and if we receive a request from the Governor of Borno on what we are bringing in and what is being spent, we would give that information. Such information is not hidden.”