By Kabir Dan-Katsina, Birnin Kebbi
The Director-General of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Hajiya Zubaida Umar has distributed relief items to the victims of banditry attack in Kebbi State.
The victims include those recently affected by bandits attack in Yauri, Shanga and Bunza Local Government areas of the state.
The DG, while presenting the relief items to the beneficiaries at a ceremony held at Kebbi Government’s Wherehouse along Kalgo Road on Monday, said that the federal government, through NEMA, is expressing its sympathy to the government and people of Kebbi State, particularly the communities that have suffered losses and displacement as a result of the attacks, especially the recent in Yauri, Shanga and Bunza Local Government areas.
She added that in line with the mandate, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), immediately mobilized to respond to the situation, “though our operations office in Sokoto State and carried out rapid assessment to ascertain the magnitude of the incident and identify the urgent needs of the affected populations or victims and the outcome of that assessment informed the provision of the relief materials being distributed to the victims.”
According to the DG, the items comprised of both food and essential materials, intended to cushion the effects by the affected communities in the three Local Government areas of the state.
The NEMA boss emphasized that the intervention is a clear demonstration of the Federal Government’s concern for the plights of the people of Kebbi State under the leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu which welfare and safety of citizens remain his top priority in his administration.
She also noted that NEMA, as the coordinating agency for disaster management in Nigeria, remains committed to ensuring that no affected community is left without support.
Umar called on the beneficiaries and community leaders to ensure the judicious and transparent use of the items in order to serve the intended purpose of reaching the most needy.
Your Excellency, beyond this distribution of items, my visit to Kebbi State also entails inspection of the ongoing Federal Government resettlement project for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the state.
She however commended the efforts of the Kebbi State government for its proactive collaboration with NEMA, most especially on the provision of office accommodation for the proposed NEMA office in the state.
Some beneficiaries who spoke to journalists at the venue expressed their happiness for the gesture they received from NEMA which, according to them, will cushion the difficulties they are facing as a result of the banditry attack of their areas.
