The Saudi Arabia-based King Salman Humanitarian and Relief Centre has donated food items worth $1.2 million to victims of armed banditry in Zamfara State.
Retired Air Vice Marshal Muhammadu Muhammed, Director-General, National Emergency Management Agency, said this at a news conference in Gusau on Friday.
Muhammed said the food items would be distributed to 8,725 households.
He said: “Each household will receive a package weighing 59.8kg comprising rice, beans and a condiment of tomato paste, maggi cube, cooking oil, salt and masa flour.
“The donors expect the items to immediately reach the beneficiaries in order to give them some relief in this fasting period.”
The NEMA boss commended the centre for the items, noting that Nigeria would remain grateful for such donations, which was also made to Borno and Yobe States.
Hajiya Faika Ahmed, Commissioner for Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management, who received the items on behalf of the state government, thanked NEMA and the centre for the gesture.
Ahmed said: “In Zamfara, our humanitarian crises are in two fold, armed banditry and natural disasters, which have displaced hundreds and thousands of innocent people as well as destroyed many farmlands and foodstuffs.
“We are really grateful for this donation but we are also asking for more from the centre, Federal Government, groups and individuals for us to address the challenges which fate has put on the citizens,” Ahmed added.