The King of
the Saudi Arabia, King Salman bin Abdulaziz has donated relief materials to
840,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) in crisis ravaged Northeast
Nigeria.
This is the second tranche of relief materials to be donated to people affected
by the Boko Haram crisis in Nigeria by the King of the oil-rich Saudi Arabia
through his humanitarian agency, King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre.
The Saudi King
had late last year promised to donate relief materials put at US$10 million, (N3.6
billion), to victims of Boko Haram insurgency in the North East.
The donation was made on Tuesday at the Bakassi IDPs camp by representatives of
the Saudi King to Borno State Government, the National Emergency Management
Agency (NEMA) and the Borno State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA).
The King, through his representative, said: “We are pleased to participate in
the handing over ceremony of the second half of food assistance provided by the
King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre (Ksrelief) amounting to over
70,000 food baskets. This generous donation comes in line with the directives
of the custodian of the two Holy mosques, King Salman Bin Abdulaziz and His
Highness, the Crown Prince to assist the affected people in Nigeria.
“The donation will benefit more than 840,000 Internally Displaced People in the
conflict affected states in North-East Nigeria.”
Borno Governor, Alhaji Kashim Shettima, who was represented by the Deputy
Governor, Alhaji Usman Durkwa at the ceremony, said the early donation impacted
62,695 displaced persons.
He said: “I am particularly glad because ever since we are bedeviled by the
menace of insurgency, individuals, states, and organisations are daily trooping
in with assistance in one form or the other with a view to complementing the
efforts of the Borno State Government.”
The Chairman of SEMA, Hajiya Yabawa Kolo praised the Ksrelief, saying: “Today,
my words are not enough to convey our gratitude. I, on behalf of the internally
displaced persons, I sincerely thank King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief
Centre for this immense support. It is not easy to leave your comfort zone to
visit a state often described by the International Community as a ‘war zone’,
and donate your widow’s mite.”
