The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has distributed relief materials to 478 people who were attacked by bandits in Wurno and Raba Local Government Areas of Sokoto State.
Dr Kofoworola Soleye, Head of NEMA, Sokoto Zonal office, said at the distribution ceremony on Friday, that the gesture was facilitated by the member representing Wurno/Raba Federal Constituency, Ibrahim Almustapha.
Soleye said Almustapha forwarded the request to support the people and the Federal Government approved it.
Represented by the NEMA Zonal Planning Officer, Mr Tukur Abubakar, Soleye said the items included 350 bags of 12.5 kg of rice and millet, 20 kegs of palm oil, 60 cartons of bath soap and 100 cartons of detergents.
Others are 800 pieces of blankets, plastic buckets, guinea brocade and wax prints each along with 500 pieces of children’s wear and 349 pieces of mosquito nets.
He said the building materials comprised of 300 bags of cements, 300 pieces of ceiling boards, 300 bundles of roofing sheets, 150 packets of Zink nails and 80 bags 3’’ nails.
Soleye noted that the distribution was sequel to the approval by NEMA Director-General, AVM Mohammed Mohammed, as approved by the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Hajia Sadiya Umar and President Muhammadu Buhari.
Speaking at the event, Alhaji Shehu Chacho, who represented Almustapha, said the gesture was part of efforts in the series of assistance packages being distributed to victims and commended President Buhari for prompt response.
Chacho said the lawmaker had through personal assistance, facilitated government support to the victims, noting that about 3,000 persons were affected in 26 communities within the constituency.
The distribution committee Chairman, Malam Umar Ahmadu-Raba, said the committee screened 478 beneficiaries who were directly affected by banditry activities in the two local government areas.
The District Heads of Wurno and Raba Local Government Areas, Alhaji Kabiru Alhassan and Alhaji Abdullahi Bello, commended the Federal Government and the lawmaker for the efforts and expressed optimism that the gesture would cushion their hardship.
Some of the beneficiaries, Malam Hussani Ara and Bala Ibrahim, appreciated the gesture, adding that the bandits killed many people in the area.
According to them, they lost about 60 cows along with other valuables to the bandits.
