Governor Kashim Shettima of Borno State has ordered the immediate release of relief materials and reconstruction of houses destroyed in Baga carnage, his media aide has said.
A statement by his special adviser on communication Isa Umar Gusau said “following the very unfortunate and barbaric destructions of lives and properties in Baga, Kukawa local government area in Borno State at the weekend, Governor Kashim Shettima yesterday ordered immediate release of relief materials including food items and clothes after which he ordered the state’s Ministry of Works to immediately mobilize to sites in Baga town and start the reconstruction of houses destroyed even before a committee he set up is expected to investigate and submit a report on the cause of the crisis, take records of all those killed or injured, take stock of all houses destroyed and recommend compensation.”
Gusau said that “number of persons killed as well as houses destroyed has not been accurately ascertained by any competent authority as government awaits the report of its committee or any reliable source of information to ascertain accurate figures.
“Governor Shettima however believes that regardless of the number of persons affected, the incident was gruesome and highly condemnable since the life of a single human being is as important as the lives of thousands of humans,” Gusau said.
“The governor also ordered release of funds to the Ministry of Works to gather all consumables and move earth moving equipment and brick making machines to Baga town to begin reconstruction while he held several meetings with stakeholders from Kukawa local government area to take firm measures that will further ameliorate the condition of surviving victims and other residents,” the statement said.
The statement while commiserating with the victims, said the governor “is taking other firm and appropriate measures that will ensure the security of lives and properties in Borno State.”
