Bauchi Humanitarian Ministry Distributes 490 Assorted Bags of Grain, Non Food Items, Cash to New IDPs

 By Bashir Hassan Abubakar

Resulting from the civil unrest in Mangu and Bokkos Communities of Plateau State that displaced many people, 490 assorted bags of grains and other non food items were distributed to Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) taking shelter in three Local Government Areas (LGAs) of Tafawa Balewa, Toro and Bauchi LGAs of Bauchi State.

The assorted grains include 265 bags of maize, 85 bags of 50kg rice, 140 bags of 25kg rice and 35 cartons of spaghetti.

This was disclosed to our correspondent by the Bauchi State Commissioner of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management Hajiya Hajara Yakubu Wanka recently at Boto IDP camp, when, alongside the permanent secretary of the ministry Shuaibu Alhaji Mohammed, senior directors and other staff of the Ministry visited the new IDPs whom were taking shelter at a secondary school in the community.

Other immediate relief materials shared to IDP camps, according to Commissioner Wanka were: 52 gallons of vegetable oil, 10 bags of salt and 5 carton of maggi seasoning .

"Non food items included: 296 pieces of blankets, 296 pieces of mats, 400 pieces of plastic plates and spoons and 30 pieces of plastic buckets", said Wanka.

It was also gathered that close to 1.7 million naira was shared amongst the IDPs in the identified camps where new IDPs are currently taking shelter.

The Commissioner further revealed that so far 7,205 IDPs, spread across Tafawa Balewa, Toro and Bauchi LGAs, were reached with the relief materials and that information reaching her ministry indicates that more IDP camps are springing up in other places neighbouring Plateau State.

While addressing the IDPs at all the camps visited, Hajara Yakubu Wanka said that her team from the ministry were at the camps at the behest of Governor Bala Mohammed to commiserate with the IDPs and donate some immediate relief materials to assist their stay at the camps.

Wanka further said the visit will further afford her ministry to assess the situations at the camps and report back to the Governor for further intervention.

She then implored the IDPs to live peacefully with one another beyond their stay in their respective camps.

In their separate remarks shortly before receiving the relief materials and cash on behalf of the IDPs, Chairmen and Women Leaders of the IDPs taking shelter at the Secondary schools in Lere and Boto districts of Tafawa Balewa LGA, all commended the Bauchi Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management for the timely intervention in reaching out to them.

They described the gesture as humanitarian and prayed Allah to reward Governor Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed, the Commissioner and her team for coming to their aid in their time of need.