TheCable

The federal government on Monday gave additional relief items to Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) in Chibok, Borno state, to further cushion the effect of the hardship in the area.

Muhammed Kanar, the northeast zonal coordinator of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), said in Yola, Adamawa state, that the items were given in compliance to the directive from the presidency.

He said the agency was currently taking care of registered 10,376 IDPs in Chibok and its environs.

He added that experts from the Safe School Initiative (SSI) also accompanied NEMA team to conduct a needs assessment on schools destroyed by the Boko Haram insurgents in the area.

The coordinator assured that the agency would provide boreholes to ease the perennial shortage of drinking water in the affected communities.

“President Goodluck Jonathan has directed the agency to supply additional intervention items to Chibok community,” NAN quoted him as saying.

“Items supplied include 1,200 bags (10kg each) of rice, 1,000 blankets, 500 mosquito nets and 500 mats, cooking oil and 500 bags of maize.”

Receiving the items on behalf of the community, Modu Zanna, the district head of Chibok, who was represented by Lawan Yerima-Amdan, thanked the presidency for the gesture.

However, he appealed to the government to expedite action on the release of the girls who were abducted on April 14.

“We thank President Goodluck Jonathan for identifying with us; we hope that he will intervene on the issue of our girls,” Zanna said.