The Zamfara Directorate of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, on Sunday, donated relief items to victims of a fire outbreak at the state-owned College of Education, Maru.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalled that the fire outbreak, which occurred in December 2020, had destroyed the female hostel of the college.
Presenting the items to the victims on Sunday, the Special Adviser to Gov. Bello Matawalle, on the Directorate, Hajiya Fa’ika Ahmad, said the donation comprised food and non food items.
“Each of the affected students will receive a 10kg bag of rice, two cartons of indomie noodles, mattress, mat, bucket, plates, mosquito nets, detergent and soap”, the special adviser said.
While commending the directorate for the gesture, the Special Adviser to the governor on Higher Education, Alhaji Abdullahi Gurbinbore, appealed to the students to ensure they took precautionary measures that would guard against a recurrence.
On his part, the Provost of the College, Dr Ibrahim Abdullahi, commended the governor for providing assistance to the 85 affected students.
According to him, property worth millions of naira were destroyed in the incident, including students’ credentials and other valuables, although no lives were lost.
Meanwhile, the directorate has also distributed relief materials to Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), in Kanoma and Janbako villages of Maru and Maradun Local Government Areas (LGA), respectively, following recent bandits’ attacks on the communities.
Ahmad, who led the government’s delegation to the affected communities, said the visit was aimed at sympathizing with the victims, including providing them with some relief material that comprised rice, guinea corn, maize, blankets, wearing apparels, buckets, mats, detergents and plates. (NAN)