Bakassi returnees camping in Akwa Ikot Eyo Edem have been displaced following a devastating windstorm that ravaged St Mark's Primary School being used as their temporary camp since March 7, 2013.
The windstorm which occurred on May 18 at about 4pm blew off the roof of a four-classroom block exposing the over 2,000 returnees to harsh weather.
The rains that accompanied the storm aggravated the problems of the returnees, who included women and children.
Mattresses, sleeping mats, clothes and other personal belongings were soaked, making life unbearable for them.
Also pathetic was the destruction of foodstuffs such as garri, rice beans, salt and other perishable items subjecting the returnees to trauma.
Our correspondent, who visited the camp on Thursday, observed that mattresses, clothes, mats, foodstuffs were spread out in the sun to dry even though the poor weather showed no hope of abating.
The camp coordinator, Mr. Okon Ene, said that it was a pathetic scenario as the people never envisaged that the storm could blow off the roof.
He said, "We had to herd the children and women to some safer corners while the men had to work throughout the night trying to salvage their property."
Assessing the damage, the Director-General of the State Emergency Management Agency, Mr. Vincent Aquah, said frantic arrangement was being made to relocate the returnees to a safer area.
He said he was aware of possible weather-related diseases such as colds that could ravage the people.
Aquah said, "Our record shows that 73 houses were affected in Akpabuyo, while Ogoja had 497 houses destroyed. Boki 403, Obudu 33 and Etung 23. The storm displaced over 12,000 persons."
The returnees numbering over 2,000 had on March 7 fled to Ikot Eyo Edem in Akpabuyo – a Nigeria –Cameroonian border community following alleged harassment by the Cameroon authorities.
