The Plateau State Government has disbursed N1.5bn in humanitarian assistance to 1,579 victims of violent attacks in five local government areas of the state. The beneficiaries were drawn from Mangu, Bokkos, Barkin-Ladi, Riyom and Bassa local government areas, which have experienced recurring attacks resulting in loss of life, destruction of property and displacement. The intervention comprised N1bn donated by the First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu, through her Renewed Hope Initiative, and N500m provided by the Plateau State Government.
The disbursement ceremony was held at the Rayfield Government House in Jos and was supervised by Plateau State Governor, Caleb Mutfwang, assisted by the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Prof Nentawe Yilwatda. Yilwatda expressed optimism that the state would overcome its security challenges, saying the intervention would help affected communities rebuild their lives. He commended the First Lady for the intervention, saying she had responded to the cries of affected communities.
Yilwatda, who said he was personally familiar with the trauma of displacement, urged the beneficiaries to use the money to rebuild their livelihoods. He noted that no amount of financial assistance could fully compensate victims for their losses, but encouraged them to invest the funds and build new lives. The APC national chairman expressed confidence that the state would overcome its security challenges and that the people would emerge stronger.
Governor Mutfwang described the intervention as an opportunity to acknowledge the suffering of families affected by the attacks. He said families lost their loved ones, many houses were destroyed, and people were forced to leave places they called home. The governor appreciated the First Lady for her support, saying the combined N1.5bn would provide immediate relief to affected families.
Mutfwang, however, stressed that no financial compensation could replace lives lost or erase the trauma suffered by victims. He assured the beneficiaries that his administration would ensure the intervention reached genuine victims and reiterated his commitment to creating conditions for internally displaced persons to return to their ancestral homes. The governor urged the beneficiaries to approach the process with patience, honesty, and understanding to protect its integrity.
The Commissioner for Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Kachollom Gang, said the intervention was meant to support families and communities affected by violent attacks in Bassa, Barkin-Ladi, Bokkos, Mangu and Riyom local government areas. Gang said the state government had earlier constituted an inter-ministerial committee to identify victims transparently and fairly. She expressed gratitude to the First Lady for the N1bn donation and commended Mutfwang for augmenting it with N500m.
Gang urged beneficiaries to use the funds to rebuild their homes, return to farming and restart their businesses. She also disclosed that part of the funds would be used for community-driven projects identified by affected communities. The commissioner called for peace, tolerance and unity in the state, urging residents to protect vulnerable groups, particularly women and children.
Key points
- The Plateau State Government has disbursed N1.5bn in humanitarian assistance to 1,579 victims of violent attacks in five local government areas of the state.
- The intervention comprised N1bn donated by the First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu, through her Renewed Hope Initiative, and N500m provided by the Plateau State Government.
- The beneficiaries were drawn from Mangu, Bokkos, Barkin-Ladi, Riyom and Bassa local government areas, which have experienced recurring attacks resulting in loss of life, destruction of property and displacement.
