Committee Raises N80bn To Support Terror Victims

More than N80 billion has been raised for victims of terror attacks in Nigeria as a fund-raising dinner, yesterday held in Abuja.

The event organised by the Victims Support Funds Committee recently inaugurated by President Goodluck Jonathan and chaired by Gen. Theophilus Danjuma (rtd) saw Nigerians donate generously to the cause.

Compering the event himself, President Jonathan appealed to the audience to do their bit in assuaging the pains of the victims.

The president opened the floor by donating N10 billion on behalf of the federal government. He subsequently called on the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs Diezani Alison-Madueke, to introduce the various top operators of the oil and gas sector to make their donations.

He also called on the new Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Govenor, Mr Godwin Emefiele, to introduce the bank executives, so they could also make their donations.

Chairman of Zenith Bank, Mr. Jim Ovia, who announced that only those donating a billion naira and above should come up to the podium, donated N1 billion. Alhaji Aliko Dangote, Mike Adenuga and others followed suit, and the night ended with over N80 billion raised for the victims.

President Jonathan condemned the evil acts of the terrorists and assured Nigerians that the war against terror would be won, adding that good will always prevail over evil.

He said his administration would not rest on its oars until the terrorists are completely wiped out of the country.

Jonathan had recently said the fund raising was part of government’s efforts at mobilising funds so that the widows, orphans, those whose business premises had been vandalised, worship places, such as mosques and churches that have been destroyed would be rebuilt.

“For those who have been victims, they need comfort. They need succour. We cannot replace the life of a child that has been snuffed out. We cannot replace the lives of men and women who have been killed. We cannot return broken limbs to their original state. We cannot take away the trauma that people have been put through.

“Their memories are scarred, some for the rest of their lives, over what they knew nothing about. The best we can do in this circumstance is to offer them a shoulder to lean on and to stretch out our hands of fellowship to them and tell them we feel their pains and share in their sorrow,” the president had said.