The Concerned Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) Awareness Forum has strongly criticized the embattled Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr. Beta Edu, for her recent visits to IDP camps in Borno and Niger States. The group accused Dr. Edu of seeking sympathy from Nigerians amid her suspension over high-profile corruption allegations amounting to billions of naira.
President Tinubu suspended Dr. Edu just six months into her tenure following these corruption charges. In a press release, the forum’s chairman, Mallam Auwal Dalori, dismissed the importance of Dr. Edu’s activities during her time in office.
“We are dismayed by a sponsored newspaper publication allegedly from our members in Borno and Niger States, calling for Dr. Beta Edu’s reinstatement. She was clearly insensitive to our plight,” Dalori stated. “It is impossible for any genuine IDP to call for her reinstatement, given her track record, unless they were paid to do so. We suspect the publication was made without the consent and knowledge of our brothers and sisters in the mentioned states.”
The group also repudiated statements made by Usman Mungonu, an alleged IDP from Muna Camp in Borno State, who praised Dr. Edu’s commitment to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda. The forum labeled Mungonu’s comments as deceptive and a public relations stunt.
“There was nothing reassuring about Dr. Beta Edu’s tenure. She showed no genuine concern for the plight of IDPs,” the statement continued.
Despite their criticism, the group acknowledged the challenges posed by Dr. Edu’s suspension and its impact on poverty alleviation and humanitarian efforts. They urged President Tinubu to appoint a genuine humanitarian and philanthropist to address their needs with dedication and compassion.
“We urge Mr. President to appoint a true humanitarian who will genuinely attend to our needs, even beyond the confines of state budgets, with dedication and love,” the group concluded.
