The Yobe state government has disbursed the sum of 18.3 million naira as immediate support to some farmers among returning Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the state.
Beneficiaries were people who suffered losses in an inferno in three communities of Gulani Local Government Areas of the state.
The beneficiaries, 117 in number, were drawn from three communities of Gabai, Ruhu and Kaigeme and were presented with the cash support by the Executive Secretary of the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) Mr Idi Jidawa.
Presenting the cash support to the victims, Mr Idi Jidawa said government in its magnanimity approved the money as recommended based on the losses as accessed by SEMA.
The victims, according to him, were the first set of returnees who rushed home to cultivate their farmlands sequel to the recapture of their communities by security forces.
“This cash support was approved as we submitted to government and I want to commend the state government for this gesture and hope you will use the money to buy foodstuff that will cater for the needs of the family.
“During the assessment, we discovered that the losses varied and the assistance equally vary depending on the severity of the destruction,” Idi Jidawa said.
He praised the beneficiaries for daring the Boko Haram insurgents to rush home in order to continue with the means of their livelihoods but regretted the inferno which thwarted their efforts.
One of the beneficiaries, Aji Bularafa, applauded the Gaidam administration for the gesture and called on the people of the community to support the Governor towards achieving the transformation agenda.
“We really appreciate this gesture and wish to thank the Governor most sincerely for this magnanimity. This palliative will help us not in small measure,” he said.
Gulani Local Government Area is one of the council areas that suffered insurgency most in Yobe state north east Nigeria.
