Moved by the plight of the Internally Displayed Persons (IDPs) and returnees in Yobe State, many of whom have been hit by starvation, the Dangote Foundation has flagged off the distribution of food and other relief items worth over N100 million to IDP camps in the state.
The Foundation said its support to the IDPs and other returnees across northeastern states has grown up to N1.3 billion in the light of recent ugly developments in the camps that necessitated fresh interventions.
Chief Executive of the Foundation Zouera Youssoufou appealed to all public-spiritual individuals and organization to come to the aid of the nation’s refugees, noting that no humanitarian assistance was too small to render to the internally displaced, citing that most of them are ravaged by hunger.
Youssoufou, who flagged off the distribution in company with the Deputy Governor, Yobe State, Engr. Abubakar Aliyu, disclosed that all the IDP camps in the 32 communities will benefit from the donation.
Speaking at the event the Deputy Governor expressed the state government’s gratitude to the Chairman, Dangote Foundation, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, for his addressing the plight of IDPs in the state.
He recounted previous donations made by the richest man in Africa towards improving healthcare delivery and eradication of polio in the State.
“I am highly delighted to welcome Alhaji Aliko Dangote to Yobe State and also thank him for his laudable decision to donate relief materials including rice, spaghetti, noodles, salt, sugar, Dangote seasoning worth millions of naira to IDPs who have suffered untold hardship due to insurgency in the state. I wish to categorically state that Dangote Foundation has made previous donations towards great causes including eradication of polio in the state,” he said.
Aliyu made a commitment that the food items will be judiciously distributed to bring succor to the IDPs and returnees and further asked for more assistances from the government, business development partners, philanthropic organizations and other stakeholders to help tackle the challenges of rehabilitation, reconstruction, re-integration and peace building in the second most affected state by insurgency in Nigeria.
In her remark, the Foundation CEO conveyed the readiness of Alhaji Aliko Dangote to contribute to peace and security in all parts of Nigeria describing the situation in the northeast as “injury to one is injury to all, because we are our brother’s keeper.”
The Dangote Foundation will also be committing additional 2 billion naira in supporting government reconstruction efforts in the northeast.
Sun
