UKRAINE WAR: NCFRMI, NiDCOM AND PVC NAIJA PROVIDE THERAPY FOR RETURNEES
Maryam Aminu/Oru Leonard
The Chairman/CEO, Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, (NiDCOM) Hon. (Dr.) Abike Dabiri-Erewa, says the profiling and detention of Nigerians and other African nationals in Poland detention centers is highly unacceptable and reprehensible.
Dr. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, stated this at the Psycho-social Trauma Clinic for Ukraine returnees held on 7th April, 2022 at the State House Auditorium Abuja organized in partnership with National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI) and Project Victory Call Initiative (PVC) in Abuja.
She noted that though President Mohammadu Buhari had made every necessary arrangements for Nigerians caught up in the war situation to return home, some chose to remain in some countries like Poland ,stressing that the most appropriate action for Poland to take was to return them back to their countries, rather than keep them in tortuous detention centers because of their skin colours.
The NiDCOM boss said that the two day clinic was the preliminary, as it will be a continuous exercise in the six geo political zones . NiDCOM has also partnered with The Sunshine Series by creating a 24 hours helpline (#112) for returnees who need counseling.
According to Mrs. Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, Federal-Comissioner, Refugees Commission, “We tend to ignore our mental health but mental health is key. As Nigerians we have a lot of resilience we have that ability, but not everybody has the same threshold when it comes to resilience and hence the need for this particular platform so that those that need extra support or extra care and assistance, can be able to access it”.
Mrs. Sulaiman-Ibrahim stated that the NCFRMI is the focal organ for government for rehabilitation, resettlement and integration. So psychosocial support is the core of rehabilitation.
She went further to explain that NCFRMI has offices in about 14 locations. And are ready to make their offices available to ensure that collaboration with the Project Victory Call Initiative (PVC) team and academic experts make this counseling easily accessible for the returnees.
Mrs Imaan urged the recipients of this important mental and psychological exercise to participate actively with dedication, as you sometimes may not even know that you are traumatized. Crisis situations also put parents and caregivers under mental and psychosocial duress, which can prevent them from providing the protection, stability and nurturing care their children need during and after an emergency.
She said, “It is my personal conviction that, at the end of this exercise, you will be better mentally and psychologically and subsequently have the ability to pick up from where you left off in Ukraine and move on”,
Dr. Bolaji Akinyemi, Convener Project Victory Call Initiative (PVC) commended the Chairman/CEO NiDCOM and the National Commissioner for NCFRMI and the entire team for the initiative behind the program and applauded both organizations for their immediate response.
Dr. Akinyemi stressed the importance for the prompt creation of this program, stating that trauma has caused mental and socio psychological issues.
He further notified the returnees that the services provided by the PVC Initiative will be free and accessible to any and every returnee with no cost to the government.
Mr Fehintola Damilola Moses, President of Nigeria Students in Ukraine applauded President Mohammadu Buhari, the Minister of foreign Affairs Hon. (Dr.) Abike Dabiri-Erewa and the Nigerian in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) team , the Nigerian Ambassador to Ukraine, Amb Shina Feege , Nigerian diaspora organizations, NGOs and all other government agencies for the prompt response and rescue of the students from Ukraine.
He expressed how brutal the situation was and the terrifying experiences most of them had to face during the war between Russia and Ukraine. From spending nights in an inadequate bunker to being racially profiled in some instances
In his words
” We had to boil snow to drink water “
