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Danjuma’s panel visits Benue to assess damaged infrastructure

By Joseph Wantu, Makurdi THE Lt.-G
09 March 2018   |   3:47 am
The Lt.-Gen. Theophilus Danjuma (rtd)-led Victim Support Fund (VSF) has undertaken an assessment tour of the communities attacked by suspected herdsmen in Benue State with a view to rebuilding damaged infrastructure. During a courtesy visit to Governor Samuel Ortom yesterday at the Benue Peoples House in Makurdi, the fund’s Executive Secretary, Professor Sunday Ochoche, sympathised…

Benue State governor, Samuel Ortom (fourth right) exchanging pleasantries with the Executive Secretary, Victim Support Fund (VSF), Prof. Sunday Ochoche (second left), during a courtesy visit by the body to the governor in Makurdi…yesterday.

The Lt.-Gen. Theophilus Danjuma (rtd)-led Victim Support Fund (VSF) has undertaken an assessment tour of the communities attacked by suspected herdsmen in Benue State with a view to rebuilding damaged infrastructure.

During a courtesy visit to Governor Samuel Ortom yesterday at the Benue Peoples House in Makurdi, the fund’s Executive Secretary, Professor Sunday Ochoche, sympathised with the government and people over the killings in the state, noting that some of the destroyed public amenities for reconstruction include schools, hospitals among others.

He said the tour was a response to a correspondence from the state government to the Chairman/CEO of VSF, General Danjuma seeking rebuilding of the communities.

Ochoche said: “My boss (Danjuma), in quick response, directed us to come and assess the level of damaged infrastructure and report back for immediate action.”

He noted that the original mandate of the body was to rebuild infrastructure destroyed by Boko Haram in the North East Nigeria, adding that due to public pressure, VSF, was for the first time, going beyond bounds to accommodate Benue’s request.

The executive secretary went on: “We will be going round some local councils in the state, including Guma, Logo, Agatu, Kwande among others for three days to assess the destruction caused to public infrastructure by herdsmen for immediate action.”

Governor Ortom acknowledged the achievement of the fund, saying he was surprised since it is manned by citizens of strong character.

He urged the team to make maximum use of the visit by alleviating the sufferings of the people.

Decrying that majority of the displaced victims were children deprived of education and access to good healthcare, Ortom told the visiting delegation that over 170,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) were currently spread across eight camps in the state.

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