Wife of the secretary to the government of the federation (SGF) and chairman of the House Committee on NAFDAC, Hon Regina Akume, has assured internally displaced persons (IDPs) and prisoners that she would always stand by them.
Mrs Akume, who is the member representing the Tarka/Gboko federal constituency, visited some IDPs’ camps and prisons in Abuja and Nasarawa State to identify with them as part of activities marking her birthday.
According to her, she is a grassroots politician who cares for the less privileged people where she was brought up.
“I’m not a city lady, I’m not a London person, a villager, and I know where I come from. So, I sympathise with people who come from the same background as me. This is what informed the idea of visiting people in IDPs’ camps”, she said.
However, her experience at the FCT IDP camp in Duruni, Abuja, was quite disheartening to her when she heard the story of how many Nigerians have been using them to make money.
She also learnt that the only primary school in the camp, which has about 3,000 IDPs, has been closed down since 2016 for lack of teachers.
She promised to quickly intervene in their plight by referring them to her husband, Senator George Akume, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, whom she described as “very caring, women-friendly and who loves the poor.”
“It is a very good thing that I was there to listen to them one-on-one. I really appreciate what they are going through, and I promised them we would do something about it.”
At Gurin Interfaith IDP Camp, Karu, Nasarawa state, Mrs Akume assured the victims of Boko Haram insurgency from Borno, Yobe, Taraba and other Northern states that “you are not alone”.
She assured them that she would always be there to champion their cause at every available opportunity and enjoined them to continue to live peacefully with their host community.
At the Kuje Medium Correctional Centre, Mrs Akume brought what any prisoner cherishes most, freedom as some inmates, numbering over 20, regained their freedom when she came calling.
In emotional advice, Akume told the inmates, especially those who secured their release, to “show remorse” and become responsible citizens who would contribute their quota to the development of Nigeria.
For them to breathe the air of freedom, Mrs. Akume settled the fines of some of them who were sentenced with the option of fine ranging from N20,000 to N100,000 but who have no means of paying, totaling over N1 million for the over twenty of them.
The Commandant, FCT Correctional Centres, Usman Ibrahim, who expressed gratitude to Mrs. Akume, said, “Today, there is a great change.”
Mr. Ibrahim said there is state amnesty but lamented that “FCT cannot benefit from that amnesty because FCT has no governor who can grant it”.
He said many of the inmates have “reform” and added that “amnesty is dear to us.” He appealed to Mrs Akume, whom he described as a “detribalized person,” to champion the cause for this amendment of relevant laws to allow the FCT Minister to grant amnesty.
As part of her birthday, which is coming up on December 1, Mrs Akume went to all the places where she donated food items like yams, rice, sugar, salt, blankets, mosquito nets, etc., which she said were for everybody without discrimination.
Mrs Akume also advocated for the elimination of violence against women as part of activities marking the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women.
She strongly condemned the recent Benue attacks that claimed lives, advocating for permanent peace while calling for palliatives to be sent to the victims’ families.
