The Borno State Governor, Kashim Shettima, Wednesday
said the people of the state were saved from extinction by the victory of
President Muhammadu Buhari at last year’s general election.
This is coming as the
federal government disclosed that all the goods seized by the Nigerian Customs
would be distributed to Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), mostly to those
returning to the liberated towns in parts of the North-east.
The governor, who claimed that had the result
gone otherwise the people would have fled from the state by now and this would
have left the state deserted, called on the people to show their
dissatisfaction towards those politicians who abandoned them at the peak of the
crisis.
Speaking in Hausa at
the commencement of distribution of relief materials in Maiduguri by the
National Logistics Committee on Distribution of Relief Materials, Shettima
said: “The politicians who left us to our troubles in the last five years only
to come back when peace has returned to the state to tell us that Jonathan’s
administration was better than the present should be stoned just like the Satan
is stoned at the Kaaba.”
Earlier, the Presidential Committee on the
Distribution of Relief Materials to the IDPs, said that the goods seized by the
Nigerian Customs would be distributed to mostly the persons returning to the
liberated towns in parts of the North-east.
The Chairman of the
Committee, ACG Sanusi Usman, disclosed this yesterday when he led other members
to visit the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt-Gen. Tukur Buratai, at the Military
Command and Control Centre (MCC), Maiduguri, Borno State.
Usman said that the
committee was constituted to ensure that the materials were well distributed to
the where they are needed, especially to those villages where people are
returning.
According to him, the
aim was to encourage people to return to the liberated towns and ensure that
those who have returned are not in lack of the basic necessities of life.
He said: “It was
proposed that all the seized goods should be distributed to the IDPs. The
purpose is to ensure that this platform created by the President is well
distributed to the affected areas and not only to the IDPs but mostly to the
villages so that the people can go back to their villages.
“We have found out
from our experience from the visit to Yobe State that there is no need to
concentrate on the IDPs but mostly to the villages as most of them are
increasingly returning to their communities. Its in this state that many saw
the devastation of Boko Haram and were moved.
“We assure that these
products ceased will be distributed accordingly as we have done in Adamawa and
some to Edo State. In Yobe State, we went to Buni Yadi where live is returning
to normal. Borno State is very significant because we have about 10 border
posts,” he added.
Responding, Buratai
commended the federal government for what he described as the “laudable
initiative to make this available for the affected people.”
According to him,
those that are in need and deprived by Boko Haram of their livelihood would be
catered for through the Committee’s efforts.
He noted that the
work of the committee will also be complementary to the operations of the
military to bring life back to the liberated areas.
“These are people
that have been displaced by Boko Haram for a long time and this approach will
help them settle back to their villages. This will also assist the military in
our operations as when people settle down it will help us to quickly move to
the other areas of operation.
“So far, the
distribution has been going on smoothly and it will encourage people to go back
to their hamlets and villages. Also, the issues of medical supply will be
useful to them as well as building materials that will make them to settle down
quickly. I commend President Muhammadu Buhari for all he is doing to ensure
that Boko Haram menace is brought to an end,” he said.
Source: THISDAY
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