By Salisu Sani-Idris
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and the Al-Habibiyyah Islamic Society, a faith-based organisation, have entered into partnership to galvanize support for the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs).
The National Chief Imam of Al-Habibiyyah, Imam Fuad Adeyemi, made this known in a statement on Friday in Abuja.
He said currently there were over 3.3 million IDPs in the country.
He explained that the IDPs cut across different regions of Northeast, Northwest, and Northcentral.
” As a part of this partnership, Al-Habibiyyah Islamic Society will organise fundraising activities to mobilise resources to support internally displaced persons in Nigeria.
” This partnership with UNHCR is an expansion of the work Al-Habibiyyah is doing to support the less privileged in society. In Ramadan, we fed at least 2,000 people every day with our Food Bank Programme in Abuja.
” Moreover, we have over 20 years of experience in fundraising as evident in our annual distribution of Zakat,” Adeyemi said.
He said that the perennial farmers-herders clashes in the Northcentral as well as the banditry and kidnappings in the northwest added to the displacement emergency in the northeast caused by non-state-armed groups.
” These displaced communities are in dire need of support for basic amenities such as shelter, health, education, access to clean water, and protection from sexual violence.
” UNHCR has been at the forefront, responding to the needs of these IDPs, but the increasing number of displaced persons in Nigeria has exacerbated resources.
” This partnership between UNHCR and the Al-Habibiyyah Islamic Society intends to mobilise support from Nigeria’s Muslim community and galvanise the spirit of Islamic philanthropy as a tool to support some of the most vulnerable populations amongst us.”
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Al-Habibiyyah Islamic Society is a faith-based organisation in Nigeria whose mandate includes the propagation of Islam in Nigeria and beyond.
The society also promotes Islamic and secular education, inter-religious dialogue and provision of social services such as health care, education and welfare assistance to people in need.
The organisaion also ensures advancement of Islamic culture in all facets of human activities.
Al-Habibbiyyah collaborates with fellow Muslims, Islamic organizations and other reputable impact-making organizations whose vision and mandate match theirs to deliver interventions that promote the well-being of the people and human dignity. (NAN)
