PANAPRESS
Panafrican News Agency
Nigeria: President Buhari orders release of US$ 25m to Boko Haram victims
Lagos, Nigeria (PANA) - Nigerian leader, Muhammadu Buhari, Friday ordered the immediate release of 5 billion naira (about US$ 25 million) to the Victims Support Fund (VSR) to enable it carry out its assignment of providing succour to the immediate families of those killed by Boko Haram insurgents in north-eastern Nigeria, and other terrorist-related activities in other parts of the country.
The local GUARDIAN newspaper said the president’s directive followed a briefing by the Presidential Committee on Victims Support Fund, led by the erstwhile Defence Minister, retired Gen. Theophilus Yakubu Danjuma, at the Council Chambers, Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Most individuals, corporate organisations, including the federal government, who made pledges to the fund at its launch in July last year, are yet to redeem their pledges, it reported.
Former President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, had on 31 July, 2014, launched the VSF in the heat of the controversy generated by the abduction of the 276 female students of the Government Girl’s Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State, in aid of the victims and immediate families of those who died as a result of the Boko Haram insurgency.
Jonathan pledged 5 billion naira on behalf of the federal government, but Danjuma lamented that one year after, the federal government, some corporate organisations and individuals are yet to fulfil those pledges.
Altogether, 58.79 billion naira was realized at a fund-raising dinner which was held at the Old Banquet Hall, State House, with 8.79 billion naira in excess of the initial 50 billion naira target.
But concerned about the report of the federal government’s non fulfilment of its pledge, the president directed the Head of Service of the Federation, Mr. Danladi Kifasi, to facilitate the immediate release of the 5 billion naira pledged by the Federal Government since August 2014 last year.
On the war with Boko Haram, Buhari said despite the challenge of acquiring the much needed strategic equipment and weapons to confront the terrorists, the Nigerian military has recently gained a lot of ground in its effort to defeat Boko Haram.
He added that the full deployment of the Multi-National Joint Task Force (MNJTF), under the auspices of member-states of the Lake Chad Basin Commission, would further boost ongoing military operations against the insurgents.
-0- PANA VAO 1Aug2015
The local GUARDIAN newspaper said the president’s directive followed a briefing by the Presidential Committee on Victims Support Fund, led by the erstwhile Defence Minister, retired Gen. Theophilus Yakubu Danjuma, at the Council Chambers, Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Most individuals, corporate organisations, including the federal government, who made pledges to the fund at its launch in July last year, are yet to redeem their pledges, it reported.
Former President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, had on 31 July, 2014, launched the VSF in the heat of the controversy generated by the abduction of the 276 female students of the Government Girl’s Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State, in aid of the victims and immediate families of those who died as a result of the Boko Haram insurgency.
Jonathan pledged 5 billion naira on behalf of the federal government, but Danjuma lamented that one year after, the federal government, some corporate organisations and individuals are yet to fulfil those pledges.
Altogether, 58.79 billion naira was realized at a fund-raising dinner which was held at the Old Banquet Hall, State House, with 8.79 billion naira in excess of the initial 50 billion naira target.
But concerned about the report of the federal government’s non fulfilment of its pledge, the president directed the Head of Service of the Federation, Mr. Danladi Kifasi, to facilitate the immediate release of the 5 billion naira pledged by the Federal Government since August 2014 last year.
On the war with Boko Haram, Buhari said despite the challenge of acquiring the much needed strategic equipment and weapons to confront the terrorists, the Nigerian military has recently gained a lot of ground in its effort to defeat Boko Haram.
He added that the full deployment of the Multi-National Joint Task Force (MNJTF), under the auspices of member-states of the Lake Chad Basin Commission, would further boost ongoing military operations against the insurgents.
-0- PANA VAO 1Aug2015
