Insurgency: 1,000 Borno farming families get N40m, food stuffs

Over 1000 families and Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the northeast part of the country have benefited from the philanthropic gesture of a Non Governmental Organization, Peace Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Initiative (PRRI). File: IDPs The gesture according to the Executive Secretary of the group, Dr Sam Ode, is targeted at providing a source of livilihood for the returning families whose communities have been ravaged by the Boko Haram insurgency. He revealed that the group visited Biu Local Government and gave raw cash support of N10m and food stuffs worth over N10million. Other communities also visited include, Buratai, Sabon Gari, Kwajafa, Shaffa, Biu IDP camps where assistance were given to some corporative societies. He added that the organisation has resolved to give improved seedlings procured from IITA, Ibadan to help the farmers boost their yields in the coming years. Ode said Agriculture is key to the development of any nation and it remains the first line of any action plan to deliver people from economic hardships. He said PRRI is keen to see that the returning families are empowered. According to him, the PRRI team is moving to Yobe and Adamawa State where the team have identified some villages and the inhabitants have fully returned home as a result of military operations which have restored normalcy to the area. The Executive Secretary of the organization while briefing news men in his office in Abuja, said it was quite challenging as no government or individual can completely rebuild what was destroyed by the insurgents but a through the concerted efforts of all stakeholders including the once displaced persons. While recalling their experience during the tour and distribution of farming materials, he said some communities have not received a grain of rice or corn from any government or organization which is very pathetic, adding that while waiting for the Federal Government to reach out to the IDPs, well spirited individuals must be encouraged to support the IDPs particularly those who have returned to their communities with food, money and farming facilities to help them totally recover . Ode who was full of praises for President Muhammadu Buhari and the military, pointed that the level of devastation suffered in the north east before military interventions to reclaim those lost territories cannot be quantified in material terms and commended the Nigerian military for restoring law and order to these communities. The PRRI, led by the Executive Secretary, Sam Ode said it has now given over N40 million as part of its philanthropic gesture to the various communities it has visited in Borno State. 2 0 0 0