The Catholic Diocese of Yola has provided emergency food assistance to 60 internally displaced persons (IDPs) and refugee returnee families at the Fombina IDPs Camp in Girei Local Government Area of Adamawa State, as part of efforts to ease the hardship faced by vulnerable households.
The intervention was facilitated by the Catholic Bishop of Yola Diocese, Most Rev. Dr. Stephen Dami Mamza, with support from the Franciscan Missionaries of the Divine Motherhood (FMDM), Ladywell, Great Britain. The distribution was coordinated through the Diocese’s Justice, Development and Peace/Caritas (JDPC).
Speaking during the exercise, Bishop Mamza said the donation was intended to provide immediate relief to displaced families from Borno State and refugee returnees from Cameroon who are currently taking shelter at the camp.
He lamented the difficult living conditions of the displaced persons, noting that many reside in makeshift grass shelters that offer little protection from harsh weather while facing acute food shortages and limited humanitarian assistance. According to him, children, pregnant women, and the elderly remain the most vulnerable to malnutrition and disease.
The Bishop commended the Franciscan Missionaries of the Divine Motherhood for their generous support and appealed to government agencies, non-governmental organisations, and other humanitarian partners to intensify interventions in the areas of food security, healthcare, shelter rehabilitation, and livelihood support to help restore hope and dignity to the affected families.
He disclosed that each of the 60 beneficiary households received one bag of maize, 25 kilograms of rice, 25 kilograms of beans, five packs of seasoning cubes, and detergents.
Bishop Mamza also encouraged eligible displaced persons to obtain their Permanent Voter’s Cards (PVCs) ahead of the 2027 general elections, stressing that participation in the electoral process would enable them to choose leaders capable of addressing their challenges.
Speaking on behalf of the beneficiaries, Mr. Yusuf Ishaku, an indigene of Gwoza, expressed gratitude to Bishop Mamza and the Franciscan Sisters for the timely intervention. He revealed that many families had gone without food since the previous day and described the donation as “an answered prayer” that brought renewed hope to the camp.