By Michael Olukayode, Maiduguri
President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday sent relief materials to Auno, a community attacked by Boko Haram over last week.
The President, who paid a condolence visit last week on the people of Borno over the attack on Auno where 30 persons were reportedly killed, had been criticized for not visiting the affected town during his visit to Maiduguri.
The President sent the Managing Director of the North East Development Commission (NEDC), Alhaji Mohammed Alkali to deliver food and non food items to the people of the village.
Addressing the residents of the village, Alkali said: “We are here just few days ago with the Minister for Humanitarian Affairs, my self and my Chairman. Together with other colleagues and stakeholders.
“During that visit the minister promised that we would come back here and take note to see what can be done to meet the short time, midterm and long time needs of the affected victims.
“A committee was set up immediately and they were able to give us a periliminary report. After going through the report we have seen that there was a need for immediate humanitarian assistance.
We also saw that there is need for livelihood support in terms of those who have lost their assets, as you can be seen some people have lost their houses, with some losing their vehicles among other things.”
He added that: “As we stand here today, on behalf of the Federal Government, the Commission has brought in some foodstuffs to provide immediate relief to the victims of the unfortunate incident.”
He revealed that they have brought 5000 blanket, 1000 bags of beans, 1000 mattresses, 200 cartons of vegetable oil, 1000 bags of rice, 50 cartons of tomato paste, 50 cartons of Maggi cubes, 1000 mats.
He said this will enable the residents of the village to have immediate relief before the federal government would come with other forms of interventions.
Earlier, Hajiya Yabawa Kolo, the Chairperson of the Borno State Emergency Management Agency (BOSEMA), said her agency has so far profiled about 4000 persons, comprising about 800 households.
She said: “Some of the beneficiaries are here in the community while some are in the camp. In all the exercise, we are trying to reach over 1000 households.”