Massacre: FG Begins Distribution Of Relief Materials To Affected Communities

The Federal Government has begun deployment of food and non-food relief materials to communities and victims of the Christmas eve attacks by marauding gunmen in Plateau State.

To this end, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr Betta Edu, is already in the state to coordinate humanitarian responses.

The minister had since visited affected communities for an on-the-spot assessment in the affected areas, with her counterpart from the ministry of defence as well as service chiefs.

Rasheed Olanrewaju Zubair, Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation,in a statement yesterday, said Edu also visited churches and some Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs, camps where she addressed worshippers and victims seeking refuge.

She assured them of President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to bringing lasting solutions, in terms of responses to security and resettlement of people resident in the state.

She said humanitarian relief would be made available almost immediately, in line with the presidential directive, adding that durable solutions would be provided while ‘we rebuild’ to help them return to their ancestral homes.

The minister also said her ministry would partner with the military and Plateau State government for onward distribution of the relief materials.

She said: “The President has asked us to come to Plateau State to see what is on ground. He has also directed the immediate deployment of relief materials, including food items such as rice, grains, vegetable oil and non-food items as mattresses, clothes,blankets, among others, as well as other personal effects they will need while we plan for more durable solutions to their needs to enable them go back to their ancestral homes.

Recall that over 200 persons were massacred in about 15 communities in Barkin Ladi, Mangu and Bokkos local government areas of Plateau State by yet-to-be-identified gunmen in coordinated attacks on Christmas eve.

The gunmen also set no fewer than 100 houses ablaze during the horrendous attacks, a development that drew condemnations across the globe.

The Minister of State for Defense, Muhammed Bello Matawalle, during the visit in the company of the three service chiefs, including Airforce, Army, and Navy, assured the people and government of Plateau State of protections.

Governor Caleb Mutfwang, who received the two ministers and the service chiefs, had earlier briefed them in a closed door meeting on the situation on the ground.