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Borno Flood: Kashim Imam Begins Distribution of Cooked Meals to Victims
Borno Flood: Kashim Imam Begins Distribution of Cooked Meals to Victims
By: Michael Mike
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s Parliamentary Liaison Officer, Alhaji Kashim Imam has volunteered to provide meals to large number of people displaced by recent flood the submerge more than half of Maiduguri, the Borno State Capital and its environs.
Imam, who is also a former Chairman of the Board of Trustees (BOT) of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), under President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration on Wednesday said the gesture became imperative in order to present many residents of the state who had been thrown into discomfort as result of the devastating flood, which has resulted in unprecedented devastation, with over 30 lives lost, 23,000 residential houses destroyed, and 414,000 people displaced, critical infrastructure, including bridges, roads, electricity systems, healthcare facilities, and schools, severely damaged, including approximately one million people losing their source of livelihood.
Imam. who is known for his philanthropic acts have had to relocate to Maiduguri to supervise the distribution to internally displaced persons camps accommodating the victims of the disaster in Maiduguri and its environs.
According to Imam who spoke during a brief press conference, “We are saddened by the shared numbers of lives lost, by our account, it’s running into hundreds and sadly their bodies are being discovered daily as water recedes. The carnage, the loss of lives, the loss of properties and unimaginable displacements.
“The immediate emphasis is on food, I have seen people crying they haven’t eaten in two days and this is an immediate concern of everybody, as water recedes and we count our losses then these other challenges will also come to the fore.
“In line with the appeal of Governor Zulum, we elected to focus on alleviating the suffering of those affected by providing food and water with immediate effect so I am happy to inform you that I am providing a total of 200,000 food packs we have already commenced with an average of 6,000 a day and we wish to scale to 10,000 packs every day,” Imam said.
Imam, who was at different times the gubernatorial candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the state before joining the All Progressives Congress (APC) said the food distribution is only the first step in his intervention pointing out that “ there are short, medium and long time plans of assisting the flood victims “.
He lamented that: “Almost every indigene of Borno is sad and saddened by the devastation that has befallen my home town Maiduguri . We are saddened by the sheer number of lives lost, which by all accounts running into hundreds. Nobody can give you exact accurate figures. Still and sadly there are bodies that are being discovered daily as the water recedes. Sadly nobody has the most accurate figures. It is very factual that it runs into hundreds of lives lost.
“Thousands of people are homeless. All there homes have been destroyed by the floods; nobody was prepared for this; our poele were caught unawares in the middle of the night. The floods came in the middle of the night and all accounts points at between midnight and half past midnight. Most people were already home in bed and most were asleep. All were caught unawares. Nobody saw this coming and nobody was prepared for this. The carnage, the lost of life, the loss of properties is enormous. Those that were rescued managed to escape with the cloths that they were wearing. And if you go round the metropolis, out of the 15 wards in Maiduguri, only four were not affected. Eleven were badly affected. In some of these wards, more than a week after people are still trapped they cannot come out.
Fatima Imam, one of the daughters of Imam who was part of the group that oversee the food packaging, revealed that members of her family have continued to work round the clock to ensure cooked food reaches all the victims.
She said: “We try to feed as many people as possible every day- sometimes we cook rice, stew and beef while other times Jollof rice. We cook at least 20 bags of rice every day – we sleep by 4 am and wake up by 6 am just to make sure we get food across to the flood victims.”
Borno Flood: Kashim Imam Begins Distribution of Cooked Meals to Victims
Zulum Appoints Engr Peter Samuel as General Manager BOSAMA
By: Our Reporter
Borno State Governor, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum, has approved the appointment of Engr Peter Samuel, MNSE, MNIAE, as the General Manager of Borno State Agricultural Mechanization Authority (BOSAMA).
In a statement by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Media, Dauda Iliya, the appointment was based on Engr Samuel’s outstanding professional competence, proven track record, and experience in agricultural engineering and mechanization.
The statement noted that Engr Samuel possesses the requisite qualifications, technical expertise and leadership capacity required to reposition BOSAMA in line with Governor Zulum’s agricultural transformation agenda.
The newly appointed General Manager is an Agricultural Engineer with academic, professional, administrative, and practical experience in agricultural mechanization, farm power and machinery, irrigation engineering, and agricultural infrastructure development.
He holds a Master of Engineering (M.Eng.) in Farm Power and Machinery from Joseph Sarwuan Tarka University, Makurdi (formerly the Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi), a Postgraduate Diploma in Farm Management and Production Economics from Nasarawa State University, and a Bachelor of Engineering (B.Eng.) in Agricultural and Environmental Resources Engineering from the University of Maiduguri.
Engr Samuel has distinguished himself through years of meritorious service in teaching, research, agricultural engineering practice, and project implementation. He currently serves as a Lecturer in Farm Power and Machinery at Ramat Polytechnic, Maiduguri.
Over the years, he has held several strategic leadership positions, including General Manager of a commercial agricultural enterprise, Project Coordinator, Programme Coordinator, and Consultant on numerous agricultural development interventions implemented by reputable national and international organisations.
He is a member of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE) and the Nigerian Institution of Agricultural Engineers (NIAE).
Governor Babagana Zulum congratulated the new General Manager on his appointment and urged him to deploy his wealth of knowledge, technical expertise, and experience in agricultural mechanization to strengthen the operations of BOSAMA
Zulum Appoints Engr Peter Samuel as General Manager BOSAMA
Troops Arrest Suspected Military Impostor in Katsina
By Zagazola Makama
Troops of 17 Brigade have arrested a suspected military impostor during a fighting patrol in Malumfashi Local Government Area.
Security sources told Zagazola Makama that the suspect was apprehended at about 1:30 p.m. on July 4 by troops deployed at the Forward Operating Base (FOB) Malumfashi while conducting routine patrols within Malumfashi town.
According to the sources, the suspect was intercepted while wearing a woodland camouflage three-quarter short, raising suspicion among the troops.
A search conducted on the suspect led to the recovery of a fake Nigerian Army identity card, four Automated Teller Machine (ATM) cards, one woodland camouflage three-quarter short, a wristwatch and the sum of ₦17,000.
The suspect and the recovered exhibits are currently in military custody pending further investigation.
Military sources said the arrest forms part of ongoing efforts to curb impersonation of security personnel and other criminal activities within the area.
Troops Arrest Suspected Military Impostor in Katsina
Troops Recover 50 Rustled Cattle, Repel Suspected Rustlers in Kaduna
By Zagazola Makama
Troops deployed at the Forward Operating Base (FOB) Kankomi have recovered 50 rustled cattle after repelling suspected cattle rustlers during an ambush operation in Chikun Local Government Area.
Security sources told Zagazola Makama that the troops responded to a distress call at about 9:55 a.m. on July 4 over the activities of suspected rustlers at Ungwan Gontu community.
According to the sources, the troops swiftly laid an ambush and made contact with the fleeing suspects, forcing them to abandon the stolen livestock and escape into the surrounding area.
During the operation, the troops recovered 50 rustled cattle, which were subsequently identified and handed over to their rightful owner.
Military sources said efforts are ongoing to track down the fleeing suspects as security operations continue to combat cattle rustling and other criminal activities across Kaduna State.
Troops Recover 50 Rustled Cattle, Repel Suspected Rustlers in Kaduna
Zulum Appoints Engr Peter Samuel as General Manager BOSAMA
DSS Frees Cardiac Surgeon Martin Aghaji on Bail Over Alleged Economic Crime
Troops Arrest Suspected Military Impostor in Katsina
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