The Nigerian Government has commenced Psycho-social Trauma Clinic for Ukraine returnees.
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Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, NIDCOM, in collaboration with National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons and Project Victory Call Initiative, organised the preliminary session in Abuja.
Chairman, NIDCOM, Abike Dabiri-Erewa,
says the profiling and detention of Nigerians and other African nationals in Poland detention centers is highly unacceptable and reprehensible.
She explained that though Nigerian Government had made necessary arrangements for its citizens to return home, some chose to remain in countries like Poland.
She however, noted 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.
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”.
Federal Commissioner, National Commission for Refugees Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons, Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim said that the Commission is the focal organ for government for rehabilitation, resettlement and integration as such, psychosocial support is the core of rehabilitation.
She further explained that the Commission is making its offices in 14 locations available to make the counseling sessions accessible for the returnees resident in other States.
For his part, Dr Bolaji Akinyemi, Convener Project Victory Call Initiative, PVC, commended the NIDCOM and NCFRMI for initiating the program and for their immediate response stating that trauma cause a lot of mental and socio psychological damages.
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.
President of Nigeria Students in Ukraine, Fehintola Moses, applauded the President Mohammadu Buhari and all the Government agencies for the prompt response and rescue of the students from Ukraine.
” We had to boil snow to drink water “. Fehintola said.
The two day clinic was a preliminary session and is expected continue in the six geo-political zones across the country.
NiDCOM also partnered with The Sunshine Series by creating a 24 hours helpline (#112) for returnees who need counseling.
