Sokoto donates N100m, food items to victims of banditry, boat accident

File: Governor Ahmed Aliyu of Sokoto.

Sokoto State Government has donated over N100m and 408 bags of assorted food items to families affected by bandit attacks and the recent boat accident in Wurno and Goronyo Local Government Areas of the state.

The intervention was disclosed on Monday when a high-powered government delegation led by the state APC leader and former governor, Senator Aliyu Wamakko, visited Dinawa, Birjingo and Gorau communities to condole with the victims’ families.

At Dinawa, families of the seven persons killed in a bandit attack received N1m each, alongside two bags each of maize and millet and one bag of rice.

The five injured victims were given N250,000 each and bags of rice, millet and maize.

Similarly, families of the three persons killed in Birjingo received N1m each, two bags each of maize and millet and one bag of rice, while six injured persons received N250,000 each and bags of the three food items.

At Gorau, where 65 people reportedly died in a boat mishap, each bereaved family received N1m, two bags each of maize and millet and one bag of rice.

Speaking during the condolence visits, Wamakko, who represented Governor Ahmed Aliyu, expressed grief over the incidents and assured residents that the government would continue to support security agencies in tackling insecurity.

“I am sure you must have seen the recent intervention by the state government, which included the provision of 62 armoured vehicles to security agencies to support their operations. The state government will continue to support our security agencies in their quest to curb the menace of insecurity in the state”, Wamakko said.

Wamakko expressed optimism that banditry would eventually be brought under control, urging rural communities to cooperate with security agencies.

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“We also need to pray fervently for Allah’s intervention on insecurity and other challenges confronting our nation,” he said.

He appealed to the bereaved families to accept the deaths as the will of Almighty Allah, praying for the forgiveness of the deceased and strength for their families.

At Gorau, the delegation conveyed the governor’s directive for an immediate stop to the overloading of boats, identified as a major factor contributing to boat accidents in the area.

Aliyu directed local government authorities and the district head to take stringent measures to enforce the directive and prevent further loss of lives.

The delegation also visited Tsamaye in Sabon Birni Local Government Area, where it condoled with residents over the death of the local APC chairman, Alhaji Amadu Malale.

The Minister of State for Works, Bello Goronyo, and the Chairman of Sabon Birni LGA, Hashimu Dantudu, commended the state government for its intervention and support to the affected families.

They said the assistance would provide relief to the victims’ families at a difficult period.

The delegation included Deputy Governor Idris Gobir, Minister of Labour and Employment Muhammad Maigari Dingyadi, Speaker of the State House of Assembly Tukur Bala Bodinga, APC State Chairman Haruna Adiya, Secretary to the State Government Muhammad Bello Sifawa, Chief of Staff Aminu Haliru Dikko, lawmakers, commissioners and other senior government officials.