NEMA Donates To Hausa Community At Onitsha

The Federal Government, through the National Emergency Management    Agency (NEMA), has donated relief materials worth millions of naira to the over 3,000 members of the Hausa Community in Onitsha, Anambra state, currently taking refuge at the Onitsha military Cantonment central Mosque for fear of reprisal attack by the Igbos.

This follows the post-presidential election violence which erupted in some Northern parts of the country, claiming lives and properties worth billions of naira.

Addressing the traumatised persons at the Barracks, shortly before handing over the relief materials which include 300 bags of rice and beans, ( 150 each), 500 blankets, 1000 pieces of nylon mats, 1000 towels, 50 cartons of detergents, and mattresses to their leaders on behalf of their members, Director General of NEMA, Alhaji Mohammed Sani Sidi, expressed displeasure over the action of those behind the post presidential election violence which has sent hundreds of innocent citizens to their untimely grave.

While condemning the act in its entirety, the NEMA boss  said the relief materials were part of Federal Government’s gesture towards alleviating their plight.

He advised them to see their stay in the Army barracks as temporal, as government was already doing everything within its powers to ensure peace in all the violence prone areas across the country.

Represented by the South -East zonal coordinator of the Agency, Dr. Bandele Abdulahi Onimode, the D-G expressed  regret that some uninformed and unscrupulous persons in some Northern part of the country could take laws into their hands in the name of protest, calling on the perpetrators to lay down their arms and embrace peace in the interest of one Nigeria.

He assured them that the Federal Government is highly interested in the safety of their lives and property, saying that as far as they did not commit any crime, government would do every thing within its capacity to ensure that they return to their homes and places of aboard without a further delay.

Alhaji Sani, who also commended the Army authorities for its proactive response to the situation, charged members of the Hausa community to always live in peace in any community they find themselves .

“You should always see yourselves as part and parcel of the community you live”, he said  and enjoined the Northern youths to always eschew violence because it does not do the nation any good.

Responding on behalf of the Hausa community, their leader, the Sarkin Hausawan Onitsha, and secretary Northern Traditional Council, South East- South South zone, Alhaji Iliyasu Yushau, thanked NEMA for the kind gesture, noting that government has rekindled their hopes with its action.

Alhaji Yushau, who also condemned the violent protest in the North, appealed to those behind the wicked act to desist from it and channel their grievances through appropriate legal means.

I blame my people up there in the North for the violence because the violence was uncalled for and illegal. We must learn how to stay as brothers and sisters, because that  is how Allah wants it to be”, he declared.

“We thank the Federal Government for these relief materials. We want to also thank the Presidency for the prompt response and also thank the Army for their assistance to us, especially the Commanding Officer of this Cantonment”,

According to him, some of them had been living in Onitsha town since 1890 and no longer see themselves as stranger.

Alhaji Yushau, however, disclosed that no fewer than 3,200 members of the Hausa community are currently taking refuge in the Army barracks, assuring that the relief materials would be distributed amicably among all the members.

The Commanding Officer in charge of 14 Field Engineer Regiment of the Cantonment and head of the Disaster Response Unit, Lt. Col. Tonye Numbere, had assured the people of adequate security in the barracks.