NEMA, King Salman Relief Centre donate 6,403 food baskets to Benue displaced families

Henry Iyorkase, Makurdi

National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), in partnership with the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre (KSrelief), has flagged off the distribution of relief materials to thousands of internally displaced persons (IDPs) and vulnerable households in Benue State as part of efforts to ease the hardship caused by displacement and other humanitarian crises.

The flag-off ceremony took place at the Mega Camp in Makurdi, where the Director-General of NEMA, Zubaida Umar, was represented by the agency’s Director of Special Duties, Fatima Suleiman Kashim.

Addressing beneficiaries during the event, Kashim said the intervention was made possible through the collaboration between NEMA and KSrelief, noting that the donated food baskets were intended to support displaced families and other vulnerable persons affected by disasters and conflicts.

She expressed appreciation for the warm reception accorded to the NEMA delegation and commended the resilience of the displaced persons despite the challenges they continue to face.

According to her, the exercise demonstrates the enduring humanitarian partnership between NEMA and KSrelief, which has continued to provide critical assistance aimed at reducing the suffering of vulnerable Nigerians while strengthening the country’s emergency response capacity.

She disclosed that KSrelief donated a total of 24,302 food baskets for distribution across five beneficiary states—Benue, Yobe, Anambra, Kebbi and Taraba.

Out of the total, she said 6,403 profiled households in Benue State would receive the food baskets under the intervention programme.

She added that similar distributions had already been carried out in Yobe, Anambra, Kebbi and Taraba states, bringing relief and hope to thousands of vulnerable families across the country.

The NEMA Director-General described the intervention as the first humanitarian support extended by KSrelief to Benue State through NEMA, describing the gesture as timely and significant in complementing the efforts of the Federal Government and the Benue State Government in addressing humanitarian challenges and strengthening community resilience.

She also used the occasion to alert residents to the heightened risk of flooding as the rainy season intensifies, urging communities across Benue State and other flood-prone areas of the country to remain vigilant and adhere to safety advisories issued by relevant authorities.

Kashim further noted that the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu remains committed to protecting citizens by addressing vulnerabilities arising from disasters, conflicts, climate-related emergencies and prevailing economic challenges.

She expressed profound appreciation to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, as well as the Government and people of Saudi Arabia and the management of KSrelief for their generosity, compassion and continued humanitarian support to Nigeria.

Earlier, the Executive Secretary of the Benue State Emergency Management Agency (BSEMA), James Iorpuu, described the occasion as another milestone in humanitarian assistance to internally displaced persons and vulnerable residents in the state.

He commended the Director-General of NEMA, Zubaida Umar, and the agency’s partners for their sustained support to Benue State, saying the intervention would significantly improve the welfare of thousands of displaced families affected by recurring humanitarian crises.

Iorpuu assured the partners that the relief materials would be distributed transparently to the intended beneficiaries, while reaffirming the Benue State Government’s commitment to working closely with NEMA and other humanitarian organisations to provide lasting support for displaced communities.