Boko Haram: Over 400,000 Adamawa IDPs to benefit from presidential support fund

From Umar Dankano, Yola

Over 400,000 Internally Displaced Persons in Adamawa State are to benefit from the funds of the presidential committee of victims of insurgency.

The development was disclosed by the Chairman of the committee, Retired General Theopilus Danjuma at the flag off ceremony of presentation of relief materials to IDPs in Yola yesterday.

Danjuma who was represented by Mr. Alkasim Abdulkadir said that the committee was inaugurated by President Goodluck Jonathan In July 2014 to bring succor to the victims of insurgency and other forms of violence in Nigeria.

“What we are witnessing today is unfortunate development to our nation considering the level of killings and destruction of human lives and properties.

“We are to celebrate real development and progress of our nation, but not development of distribution of relief items.” Danjuma said.

He sympathized with the people of the state and the north east in particular and called on the people to support the Victims support fund to provide more assistance to the victims.

In his remark, the executive director of the committee, Mr. Sunday Ochebe said that hundreds of thousands of Nigerians were confirmed displaced, lost their lives while families separated.

Ochebe explained that the victims support funds would present the items through the state branches of Christian Association of Nigeria ( CAN) and State Muslims Council to distribute the materials to the affected victims,

He said the victims support fund would work with the two prominent religious body to reach out the victims who were not in formal camps as well as to build confidence on them

Responding on behalf of the victims, the CAN and JNI representatives, Rev, Sule Jerry and Alh. Gambo Jika thanked President Goodluck Jonathan for the gesture.

They gave assurances that the materials would be distributed judiciously for those meant for it.

Among the items presented include 7,000 of ten kg bags of rice and bean, 3,500 jerrycans of cooking oil, blankets, pads, shirts detergent among others.