There’s a Bomb Victims Association of Nigeria (BVAN), and these are their demands
The Bomb Victims Association of Nigeria (BVAN) said it will not back down until it demands are met.
The association, led by Boko Haram bombing survivors, Kayode Olatunji and Musa Audu, said their fellow survivors have been neglected by the Nigerian government.
Reuben Abati, media aide to former President Goodluck Jonathan had said N58 billion was raised to help victims of terrorists bombings get back on their feet.
Olatunji, BVAN president, said the claim is untrue. He said N80 billion was raised and that almost nothing has gotten into the hands of the real victims of Boko Haram.
Olatunji and Audu, who serves as BVAN’s secretary, outlined their demands to President Muhammadu Buhari in a press statement they released recently.
Take time to read it below…
PRESS BRIEFING BY THE BOMB VICTIMS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA
PRESS BRIEFING BY THE BOMB VICTIMS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA (BVAN) ON THE WELFARE AND CARE OF VICTIMS OF BOMB BLASTS IN NIGERIA AND THE 80 BILLION NAIRA VICTIMS SUPPORT FUND OF JULY 2014.
We are victims of bomb blasts, which have occurred at different locations in the Northern part of Nigeria starting from the 1st of October 2010 at the Eagle Square in Abuja, 31st of December 2010 at the Mogadishu Barracks – Asokoro, the Suleja blast at the INEC office April 2011,the Madalla Catholic Church Bomb blast same year, theUnited Nations House blast in August 2011 and many others that have happened in the recent past. We come from every state and zone of Nigeria. We are united by our scars and by our belief that together we can care for and support one another to get through this trauma, reclaim our dignity and, ultimately, prevail over the perpetrators of the crimes that have scarred our lives forever.
As a result of prolonged neglect of the victims of this bomb blasts across Northern Nigeria, some of us who initially survived the bombings have died, many due to little or no medical care and othersas a result of their inability to continue with their medical bills orfurther their treatment here in Nigeria or abroad.
One example is the story of a victim named Hope Musa, a survivor of June 26th 2014 EMAB plaza bomb blast and a founding member of the Bomb Victims Association of Nigeria diedtwo weeks ago as due to injuries sustained from the blast. Hope is from Taraba State. The blast affected his brain, and he was poorly managed which led to several episodes of convulsion until his death, as he could not afford to further his treatment for a neurosurgical operation abroad.
Victims are dying needlessly, deaths that are avoidable if urgent and continuous medical attentions are provided. We have cases of first-degree burns, cornea opacity, compound fractures and orthopedic cases, limb amputees, tympanic membrane and osicular bone damages on the ear, keloid skins, intensive nerve and tissue injuries and so on, which are in need of urgent medical attentions.
A year ago, on July 16th 2014, the Federal Government of Nigeria under the past administration of President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan,constituted a Committee on Victims Support Fund to mobilize resourcesand administer appropriate support to victims of insurgency and Bokoharam terror activities all over the country. Rtd. Gen. Theophilus
Danjuma chairs this committee.
In August 2014, a Fund Raising Dinner was held and the committee raised over 80 billion naira. Former President, Doctor Goodluck Jonathan said the fund raising was part of government’s efforts to raise funds so that the widows, orphans, and those whose business premises, homes and places of worship had been vandalized will becatered for, as well as victims with medical requirements. This did not happen, at least not to hundreds and thousands of victims among who we are and who are known to us. 80 billion naira and yet victims are languishingin pain and neglect!
Many of the victims have lost their lives as a result of government negligence and neglect, many which initially survived the bombing, died months later for inability to cope with exorbitant medical bills, which the Federal Government promised to clear at every bomb blast that occurred.
The nonchalant attitude of the government towards her citizens, who are suffering and dying for no fault of theirs, caused the surviving victims to form an association known as ‘BOMB VICTIMS’ASSOCIATION OFNIGERIA (BVAN).
This association is set to bring victims of bombblasts across Northern Nigeria under one umbrella to speak with onevoice and to help show love, care and support towards those affected,and be the voice of the voiceless of her members. This association has been formed with the guidance and help of the Chairman of the NationalHuman Rights Commission, Dr. Chidi Odinkalu, and together we aim at delivering the rights of the unfortunate and vulnerable victims of bomb blasts to them. We insist on the participation of victims in all programs designed to victims.
The bomb blasts in Northern Nigeria have not stopped, and so more and more victims who need care, attention and support are birthed with every blast.
The Bomb Victims Association of Nigeria as a body duly incorporated under Nigerian law speaking on behalf of the victims of terror attacks and bomb blasts in Nigeria has therefore decided to make the following demands:
1. That the present administration under the leadership of our new President, Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, open up an inquiry into the status of the Victims Support Fund established in July 2014 and ascertain the whereabouts of the over 80 billion naira raised for the support of victims.
2. That, in case where this funds had been disbursed, that those members of the committee give an account on such disbursement, also furnishing such details as whom the funds were spent on and the criteria with which such were chosen.
3. That a framework be set up to make this 80 billion naira available to real victims of bomb blast many of whom are in dire need of medical attention and means of livelihood.
4. That the Bomb Victims Association, which has as its members actual victims of bomb blasts, be included in the committee of the Victims Support Fund
5. That the President, General Muhammadu Buhari expedites efforts and strategies towards stopping the insurgents and their terror attacks once and for all so that no more deaths or victims will arise from bomb blasts anywhere in Nigeria.
As of now, the victims of bombing are increasing daily, and in just this month of July alone there has been a blast in Zaria Kaduna state, on the 6th in which no less than 50 were killed; the recent twin bomb blast in a market on the 16th, the eve of Sallah and also in Damaturu on the 17th of July which claimed the lives of over 50 people and left scores injured on Eid – fitri day.
There must be a stop to this terror and deaths and we the Bomb Victims Association of Nigeria wish to condemn all such attacks as well as supporters of these attacks in all its entirety and pray that President Muhammadu Buhari will be given the wisdom, support and strength to battle them to a stop as soon as possible.
We thank you for being here to show us this measure of support and we encourage you to look into the said fund to ascertain its status for us all.
Signed,
Kayode Oladele Olatunji (Chairman ) & Musa Baba Audu (Secretary).
Abuja
22 July 2015.
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