By Michael Olugbode
Families of the 48 farmers killed at a rice field in Borno State have been given N600,000 each by Borno State Government.
The bereaved families were also given bags of food items by a committee assigned by Governor Babagana Zulum to share donations received on their behalf.
The funds came from combined support of N20m by the northern governors forum, and N5m by the North East Development Commission (NEDC).
The Committee chaired by Borno’s Commissioner for Youth and Sports, Saina Buba, carried out Thursday’s distribution in Zabarmari.
Also in the Committee are a member of the House of Representatives representing Jere federal constituency, member of Borno Assembly representing Jere, two Special Advisers and chairman-elect, for Jere local government area.
Zabarmari, where the victims lived, is located in Jere, central part of Borno State.
A total of 13,000 Bag of rice, maize and beans, 1,300 cans of vegetable oil, 2116 cartons of seasoning cubes, 1,083 tomato and 650 sachet of salt which were donated by the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development were also distributed.
Buba noted that the N600,000 cash and food items to each family were not compensation for the death of their loved ones, but to reduce hardship resulting from gaps in access to livelihoods created by the death of mostly male victims, who were breadwinners of those affected.
