President Muhammadu Buhari has directed the National Emergence Management Agency to provide relief for victims of the Minna, Niger State market fire.
The development, disclosed by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, comes days after the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar; the Niger State governorship candidate of the party, Malam Abubakar Nasko; and other PDP candidates for the 2019 elections in the state donated N6 million to the market fire victims.
Shehu said already NEMA had mobilised for the relief in response to the presidential directive.
He said President Buhari attaches great importance to offering immediate succour to victims of devastating disasters as soon as possible as he believes that the essence of government is to help the people overcome difficulties within the limits of available resources.
NEMA, according to the report presented, had visited the scene of the fire disaster for preliminary damage assessment and thereafter deployed relief items such as building materials and other related items to the affected victims.
On the 2018 flood disaster, NEMA also reported that Niger State had benefitted from the humanitarian intervention of the Federal Government worth about N250 million.
These included food, shelter, medicals, emergency water supply and other essential requirements.
The Presidency assured Nigerians that the Federal Government would continue to offer help to victims of fire and other natural disasters within available resources.