FG, Lalong’s friends give succour to victims of Plateau attack

From Gyang Bere, Jos

Victims of the recent violent attacks in some parts of Plateau State will now have a good reason to heave a deep sigh of relief as help has come their ways.

The Federal Government and Governor Simon Lalong’s classmates at the Ahmadu Bello University Zaria (ABU) set of 1990 has donated relief materials to the victims.

The violence attacks broke out in Jebbu Miango, Yelwa-Zangam community in Bassa and Jos North and some communities in Riyom, Barkin-Ladi, Mangu and Bokkos local government areas of the state, leaving scores of dead and suffering.

Most of the victims, who survived the onslaught lost their homes, property and sources of livelihood, thereby becoming more susceptible to poverty.

The incident, which perished many lives obviously, painted the peaceful state dark despite huge investment of the governor to engender peaceful co-existence between residents irrespective of their ethnic and religious affiliations.

The materials worth over N100 million were presented by Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Hajiya Sadiya Umar Farouk. This was the fulfilment of President Muhammadu Buhari’s pledge when Lalong visited him and requested quick intervention.

Lalong had visited Buhari in search of the Federal Government’s intervention following the attacks which rendered many homeless and the effort has continued to pay off with the delivery of relief materials for the victims.

Farouk said that though the Federal Government was not happy about the loss of lives and property destroyed in the attack, it cannot fold its arms and watch the victims wallow in more pains.

She said the items worth about N100 million consist of food and non-food items. They include roofing sheets, nails, cement, rice, maize, beans beverages, soap and mattresses among others. She added that the items were meant to assist the people get back to their feet.

The minister stressed that humanitarian relief and aid might only provide temporary relief, but the goal was to ensure that vulnerable persons build resilience through access to social protection services and programmes.

The Director General of National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Alhaji Ahmed Mustapha Habib, said that Plateau has experienced series of unfortunate communal conflicts, attacks and counter-attacks that have led to loss of lives and destruction of means of livelihoods.  He regretted that it has also led to the disruption of the peaceful co-existence in Jos North, Jos East, Barkin Ladi, Bassa and Riyom local government areas.

He explained that the agency has conducted a damage and loss assessment to guide humanitarian intervention to assist the affected communities to help them recover from the unfortunate events where about 15,450 people were identified as affected persons in five local government areas.

He said that based on the recommendation contained in the assessment report, Buhari through the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development approved assorted relief items for distribution among the affected communities.

Items presented are 2000 bags (10kg) of rice, 2000 bags (10kg) of beans, 2000 bags (10kg) of maize, 144 kegs of vegetable oil (20ltrs), 200 cartons of seasoning, 74 bags of salt (20kg), 200 cartons of noodles, 200 cartons of tea, 200 cartons of powdered Milk and 200 cartons of bath soap. Others are 200 cartons of detergent soap, 1,000 pieces of mattresses, 10 bales and 1,000 pieces of wax prints, 10 bales of used cloths and 40 bales of mosquito nets, 25 bales and nine pieces of blankets, 17.20 bales of mats. Also donated were 16 bales and 20 pieces of guinea brocade, 600 bags of cement, 400 bundles of roofing sheets, 600 pieces of ceiling boards, 300 bags of six inches nails and 100 packets of zinc nails.”

Governor Lalong appreciated the Federal Government for responding to the plight of his people.

He appealed to the FG to redeem the N10 billion pledged by the Vice President towards rehabilitating displaced communities to cushion the effects of the attacks.

Lalong said his priority was to resettle all those that were displaced from their original abode in the state by the ruthless attackers.

Receiving the items, Lalong said though the gesture was highly appreciated, the circumstances leading to the current situation made the occasion a solemn one because of the loss of lives and property.

He, however, said that the state was grateful to Buhari both for his intervention in deployment of security forces and the humanitarian assistance which he said would go a long way in mitigating the sufferings of the people.

Lalong said that the state government was also looking forward to greater help from the Federal Government, particularly in the area of relocation of IDPs.

Also worried by the plight of the victims, is the Ahmadu Bello University Law Class of 1990. They said that they made the donation to assist in addressing the plight of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) that were affected by the attacks.

The classmates were at the Government House, Rayfield-Jos to make the presentation of the items to Lalong.

Leader of the delegation, Sylvanus Tahir, said that they came to commiserate with the government and people of Plateau over the losses during the attacks, as well as for the many survivors who are left stranded and in pains.

Tahir said that the 1990 set was moved to act and show support to the governor because he always embraced everyone in the state irrespective of class, social status, religious or ethnic affiliations.

They commended the governor for his efforts in making Plateau a peaceful state. Tahir called for unity and the spirit of oneness among citizens of the state irrespective of tribe, religion, and other differences, praying that the peace being experienced will be consolidated.

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