Kwankwaso offers succour to Kano’s bomb victims

MADUABUCHI NMERIBEH/Kano

Some respite has come the way of grieving relations of the dead victims of 20 January Boko Haram offensive in Kano northwest Nigeria as the state government doled out N200 million to them.

Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso who disbursed the money to the recipients noted that the fund was not coming from government coffers, but a token from sympathizers, friends of his government and concerned citizens.

The sum was shared to relations of the 185 dead victims of the Boko Haram, so far identified by the state government and security agencies.

Families of five Police officers and other security agents got N1.5 million each, while other bereaved families got N1 million each.

While presenting the cheques to the beneficiaries at Kano Government House, Kwankwaso said the gesture was made to alleviate the plight of those who lost their loved ones as a result of the unfortunate incident.

He gave the breakdown of the donors to include the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, N100 million; Alhaji Sayyu Dantata, N50 million; Katsina and Jigawa state governments N20 million each; Kaduna and Bauchi state governments, N10 million each; Kogi state government and ASD Motors, N5 million each; and Alhaji Kabiru Sani Kwangila, N20 million.

“The gesture was a modest effort to enable the beneficiaries start up endeavours to cater for themselves since their bread winners were no more,” said Kwankwaso. He urged the beneficiaries to, “do something meaningful to survive,” noting that the best thing that could be done for the deceased now was to pray for the repose of their souls.

Meanwhile, the 15-man consultative committee set up by the government at the end of last Kano elders’ consultative meeting in the aftermath of the 20 January Boko Haram offensive on the ancient commercial city of the North has submitted its report.

Speaking on the report, Kwankwaso explained that proactive measures were taken to implement the recommendations as concerned the obligations of the state government.

According to the governor who used the opportunity to hammer on his effort in job creation and youth empowerment, despite the provision of infrastructural facilities, the government was doing a lot in the area of job creation and skills acquisition to make the teeming youths in the state more useful to themselves and the society.

The chairman of the Consultative Committee, Alhaji Magaji Dambatta, CON, gave an abridged version of the report earlier presented to the government. He highlighted the problems as the influx of aliens, unplanned settlements and youth unemployment and suggested the roles the government and the community should play toward solving them.

Alhaji Yusuf Maitama Sule, Danmasanin Kano and Prof. Kabir Muhammad also commented on the report, stressing the need for the government and other citizens of the state to play the roles expected of them toward ensuring sustainable peace, security and progress in the state.