The Chairman of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Buba Marwa (retired) has donated fertiliser worth N120 million to the Borno State government.
Mr Marwa donated when he paid a condolence visit to the Borno State governor, Babagana Zulum and the Shehu of Borno, His Highness, Abubakar Ibn Umar Garbai El-Kanem over the recent flood disaster in Maiduguri.
A statement by the NDLEA spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, quotes Mr Marwa noting that as a concerned Nigerian and former military governor of the old Borno State, he was moved by the magnitude of the flood disaster.
The NDLEA boss further stated that he had contacted a fertiliser company for support and they had donated high-yield fertilisers equivalent to ten trailer loads worth N120 million to the state government.
He said it was for eventual distribution to affected farmers to aid their quick return to the farm and prevent famine in the months ahead.
“From my knowledge of Borno as a former military governor here, I can appreciate the enormity of the devastation of this flood on the lives of the people of Maiduguri, their livelihood, homes and even the environment.
“With figures coming out on the number of deaths, displaced persons, property damaged and land areas affected, this may probably be the worst natural disaster that has ever hit a single city in the history of Nigeria.
“This is why I have to come down here to commiserate with the governor, the state government, our royal father the Shehu of Borno and the entire people of the state,” Mr Marwa said.
He added that the situation on the ground demanded well-meaning Nigerians to support President Bola Tinubu, Vice President Kashim Shettima and the state government to ameliorate the impact of this disaster on the people.
“I know the state government has been doing a lot and will be considering short-term, medium-term and long-term measures at ameliorating the impact of the disaster on the people;
“The short term being immediate needs like food, water, medicines, cash gifts and temporary shelter, while the medium term would be interventions intended to return people’s lives to normalcy like getting them back to the farms which have been devastated by the flood.
“In this regard, we have been able to facilitate the donation of high-yield fertilisers equivalent to 10 trailer loads worth N120 million by a fertiliser company well known to me to the state government.
“This will be for eventual distribution to farmers who will need to return to their farms to avoid famine in the months ahead,” he said.
In their response, Mr Zulum and the Shehu of Borno expressed appreciation to Mr Marwa for finding time to identify with the people of the state and his kind gesture to the affected people.
