Nigerian Customs donates seized bags of rice to IDPs in Borno
The Borno State government has received seized bags of rice from the National Logistics Committee on Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), for onward distribution to victims of insurgency.
The donation, consisting of 11,517 bags of rice, was made by the Nigerian Customs, as part of government’s plan to cushion the effect of the insurgency on citizens.
Umar Sanusi, the Assistant Comptroller General, explained that the donation was from goods seized and declared contraband by law.
“This rice did not come from heaven – actually these were seized at the border and any other place where there was infraction against the federal government,” he said.
“So these are products caught by the Nigerian Customs and condemned by the court of law and forfeited to the government for distribution to people affected by insurgency.”
READ: IDP camps in Borno to be closed down in 2017
Umar further said that more items including clothing, should be expected in the coming weeks as the harmattan and yuletide approaches.
Borno State Governor, Kashim Shettima, expressed his gratitude for the gesture, and explained that the state is overwhelmed by the alarming number of IDPs, especially those living in the host communities.
“IDP camps in Maiduguri consists only 158,000 people. In the satellite camps across the state in Pulka, Dikwa, Gamboru Ngala, Bama, Banki, Biu and Monguno the total number of people may not exceed 300,000,” Shettima said.
“But within the host community here in Maiduguri we have over a million people on the verge of extinction.”
Shettima had earlier expressed plans to close all IDP camps in the state by 2017.
