BY ABDULLAHI ISAH, MAIDUGURI
In appreciation of Dangote Foundation’s assistance to Boko Haram victims, Governor Kashim Shettima of Borno state has renamed the popular Baga Road in Maiduguri Metropolis to Aliko Dangote Road.
The Governor, who renamed the road during the business mogul’s official visit to Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs, camps in company of a popular world musician, Mr. Paul David Hewson (BONO) of United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) on Sunday, said the gesture became necessary due to the immense contributions and support of Alhaji Aliko Dangote to the victims of Boko Haram especially the over 1.6 million IDPs spread across various resettlement camps in the state.
The governor also named the under construction 6000 one bedroom housing estate, costing N2 billion for victims of the insurgency along Maiduguri-Bama road donated by Dangote Foundation, to ‘Aliko Dangote Village’
Shettima at Dalori Camp in Maiduguri which is currently being occupied by 37,000 IDPs from Bama Local Government Area of the state, in his address, expressed gratitude to Dangote for his sympathy towards the people of the state who have suffered untold hardship in the hands of insurgents in the last seven years.
He said “I want to use this opportunity and on behalf of the good people of Borno state to extend our appreciation to Dangote Foundation. In the last Ramadan season, 230 trucks of assorted food items were donated to our people by Dangote.
“Dangote Foundation has also donated the sum of N2 billion to our dear state for reconstruction and rehabilitation of our destroyed communities, in addition to N400 million donated to us by the same Foundation to assist our people,” the governor added.
He also used the opportunity to pray for God’s protection for Dangote and his family and for peace to return to the troubled areas. He, likewise, called on “well to do individuals and corporate organizations to assist Borno in this our trying moment.”
The governor also took his August visitors to Bakassi camp which has 152,000 IDPs from Nganzai, Monguno, Gwoza and other local government areas, after which, the visitors paid a sympathy visit to families of Boko Haram combatants that were rescued by troops and are now taking refuge at a place in Maiduguri.
Addressing the rescued women and their children, both Dangote and the popular musician, BONO advised the families especially the women to support government policies and programmes as Dangote Foundation will do everything possible to ensure safe upbringing of their innocent children educationally.
Dangote also called on the rescued victims to continue to pray for peace not only in Borno, but in the country as a whole.
