The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has distributed relief materials to 926 household victims of armed bandits across three local government areas of Niger state.
The head, Minna Operations Office of the agency, Mrs Lydia Wagami, handed over the relief materials to various camp committee representatives and officials who received the items on behalf of the affected persons Thursday in Minna.
Wagami said the beneficiaries were displaced from Agwara, Borgu and Magama local government areas and were residing in different camps in the state.
“Most of the victims have gathered in clusters to seek refuge in public schools while few of them have sought refuge on private property in the areas,” she said.
She listed the items distributed to include food items such as 926 bags of rice, 926 bags of millet, 926 bags of beans, 46 bags of iodised salt, 93 kegs of palm oil, 154 cartons of seasoning and 77 cartons of tomato paste.
Other items including 1,852 pieces of form mattresses, 1,852 pieces of blanket, 1,852 pieces of mosquito net, 1,852 pieces of nylon mat, 1,852 pieces of women clothing, 1, 852 pieces of men and 1,852 pieces of children clothing.
Wagami noted that the items were to help cushion the effects of the incident and reduce sufferings of the affected persons, adding that “the gesture is not a compensation for all that were lost in the incidents.
She urged the beneficiaries to make judicious use of the items to sustain their lives, adding that, “the federal government through the agency would continue to provide support to victims of bandits to ameliorate their sufferings.”
She called on the people of the state, especially those in rural areas to be vigilant and report suspicious persons or moments to the appropriate authority.