Nigerian Government through the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, has begun the distribution of palliatives to victims of gunmen and herders’ attacks in Benue.
Speaking on Friday during the distribution in Makurdi, the head of NEMA delegation, Suleman Mohammed, said seven Local Government Areas: Makurdi, Logo, Gwer West, Guma, Agatu, Kwande and Okpokwu were selected to benefit from the palliatives.
Mr Mohammed, who is also the Chief Planning Officer, NEMA headquarters, explained that the palliatives were part of measures to support victims of the crisis as well as cushion the effect of COVID-19 on them.
He regretted that Benue witnessed series of gunmen and herders’ attacks between 2017 and 2019 which prompted the government approval of series of palliatives for the victims.
He said the team was distributing 5,100 bags of millets, 10,000 bags of gari and 15,000 bags of guinea corn to the victims in the state.
According to him, the team will be visiting each local government to distribute the palliatives.
Earlier, Reps members for Makurdi/Guma Benjamin Mzondo and his counterpart from Logo, Ukum and Katsina-Ala, Richard Gbande, commended President Muhammadu Buhari for providing the palliatives to the victims.
Mr Mzondo disclosed that as representatives of the people they were on ground to ensure that all palliatives were delivered to the victims.
For his part, Mr Gbande said he was satisfied with the distribution formula adopted by the agency to share the palliatives across the benefiting local governments.
Speaking on behalf of the beneficiaries, Terzugwe Usur, thanked the federal government for giving them palliatives during the lockdown.
Mr Usur explained that the items would go a long way to cushion the effect of the stay-at-home order of the government against COVID-19 pandemic.
NAN
