Customs Donates Relief Materials To Displaced Persons

From Tom Garba, Yola
In line with the Federal Government’s presidential mandate toward alleviating the plight of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the North-East, the Nigeria Customs Service has donated over 18 thousand bags of rice, among other food and non-food items worth millions of naira to the IDPs.
Comptroller General of Customs, Col. Hameed Ibrahim Ali (rtd) while presenting the relief materials to Governor Jibrillah Bindow, who was represented by the Adamawa Head of Service, Musa Kaibo, at the flag-off ceremony of the distribution, which took place at NYSC IDPs camp in Girei Local Government area of Adamawa state said, the donated items were contrabands seized from smugglers and forfeited to the Federal Government through appropriate legal channels to the IDPs, pointing out that it is the first in the series of donations to be made in the first phase.
Ali, who was represented by the General Officer Commanding 3 Division Jos, Brig. Gen. Muhammed Sani Aliyu, explained that the exercise cover four IDPs camps in the state at Damare, Saint Theresa, Fufore and Malkohi in order to give them all a sense of belonging. He assured them of Government’s commitment to ensuring their returns to their different communities by providing adequate security that will enable them live in peace and without fears of attacks, as well as to have access to education and healthcare for their children.
Receiving the items, Governor Bindow thanked the Customs Service for the gesture, which he described as the first of its kind and assured of his administration effort toward ensuring peace, unity and infrastructural development across the state, especially the seven local government areas affected by the insurgents.
On his part, the NYSC Camp Chairman, Mr. Madu Boni, expressed appreciation and promised to ensure justice in sharing the donated items. He also appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to ensure that the presidential committee on re-settling and rehabilitating the ravage communities of IDPs worked fast.