In a dramatic twist that has plunged the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants, and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI) into turmoil, enraged staff on Wednesday shut down the Commission’s headquarters in Abuja, accusing its Federal Commissioner, Aliyu Ahmed, of widespread corruption, ethnic favoritism, and dereliction of duty.
Chanting “enough is enough,” the protesting workers barricaded the office gates, refusing to return to work until their demands are met. In a video exclusively obtained by SaharaReporters, the employees lambasted Ahmed for allegedly diverting critical funds and relief materials meant for Nigeria’s displaced populations to fuel political ambitions in his home state of Nasarawa.
> “We’re tired of empty promises and dead silence,” one visibly angry protester declared. “Funds meant for internally displaced persons are being used to bankroll cronies in Nasarawa while IDPs across Nigeria suffer in squalor.”
A Humanitarian Agency in Crisis
The protestors painted a bleak picture of the humanitarian agency, accusing Ahmed of turning the Commission into a personal empire riddled with corruption, nepotism, and impunity. Basic office equipment and staff welfare packages, they claimed, have been deliberately withheld, while seasonal bonuses and travel allowances approved by the government never reached staff members.
> “During Sallah and Christmas, other agencies got welfare packages. We got nothing. The money was approved. So, where did it go?” asked one senior staff member under the condition of anonymity.
Another source revealed that even vehicles donated for zonal operations have been locked up in Abuja, while field workers are forced to operate without the tools needed to serve displaced populations.
> “We’re watching food and relief items rot away in warehouses, while IDPs beg for assistance,” the source fumed. “This isn’t incompetence—it’s calculated sabotage.”
Appointed in September 2023 by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on the recommendation of Senator Aliyu Wadada of Nasarawa West, Ahmed’s leadership has drawn sharp criticism for allegedly prioritizing his state over others. Several staff members claimed that while other zones submitted multiple urgent requests for supplies, only Nasarawa received consistent deliveries of food, operational support, and non-perishables.
> “Only Nasarawa matters to him,” said a senior official. “Relief materials rot across Nigeria, but Nasarawa always gets theirs on time.”
Workers also accused Ahmed of ethnic bias, claiming that hiring, promotions, and resource allocations are dictated by tribal loyalties, not merit or need.
The current uproar is not the first time the NCFRMI has faced allegations of mismanaging relief resources. In 2023, a damning discovery at the Durumi IDP camp in Abuja revealed classrooms packed with undistributed aid materials—many expired or near-expiry—prompting a government probe.
Now, insiders say, history is repeating itself under Ahmed’s watch. Ecological funds meant to support interventions for climate-induced displacement remain shrouded in secrecy, with no clear accounting or evidence of use.
> “There is zero transparency in how the ecological fund is managed. Like everything else, it’s vanishing into thin air,” one protester alleged.
As the protests enter their third day, workers are demanding sweeping reforms: immediate removal of Aliyu Ahmed, audit of all funds received since his appointment, equitable distribution of relief materials, and comprehensive welfare improvements for both staff and internally displaced persons.
> “This Commission is supposed to be a beacon of hope for Nigeria’s most vulnerable,” one staffer lamented. “Instead, it’s become a playground for corruption.”
Efforts by SaharaReporters to reach the NCFRMI management for comments were unsuccessful as calls to the official line went unanswered.
With public scrutiny now squarely on Ahmed and the Commission, the spotlight is on the federal government to act swiftly before the Commission’s credibility—and the fate of millions of displaced Nigerians—spirals further into crisis.
PIONEER NEWS 