By Lucy Adautin
Victims of the Kaduna bombing have revealed that they haven’t received the donation the 109 Nigerian senators of the National Assembly promised them.
Heritage Times HT recalls that the senators had earlier pledged to donate their December 2023 salaries to victims of the December 3 accidental bombing of Kaduna villagers by the Nigerian Army.
In a condolence visit to Kaduna in December, Deputy Senate President, Barau Jibrin pledged that the 109 senators would donate their December salary of N1m, amounting to N109m to the victims.
The senators have now failed to keep their promise.
Spokesman for the Senate, Yemi Adaramodu, confirmed that lawmakers were yet to fulfil the pledge, and that the delay was merely procedural.
Adaramodu said, “any noticeable delay in the delivery of the Senate’s pledge to the victims of the unfortunate Kaduna State incident is merely procedural.
“We pledged December monthly salaries and these would come in January. We are still in January. Whatever commitment the Senate made to the Nigerian people shall be religiously fulfilled.”
A government official said N140m had been available, but releasing the funds to the victims was delayed as many of those who made pledges had yet to redeem them nearly two months after the incident occurred.
Idris Dahiru who lost 30 members of his family to the incident, said the victims are yet to receive anything from those who pledged donations.
He said, “We are eager to see development in our area after the unfortunate incident but not yet.
“We are expectant. We are not happy that some well-meaning Nigerians who promised donations publicly refused to redeem their pledges.
“We were informed that some of those who announced their donations publicly, on realising that they were using the funds to rebuild Tudun Biri, declined to redeem their pledges. Those in that category should come out and let the world know that they decline to redeem their pledges.
“The security situation in Tudun Biri is still a concern. We were told that a military formation would be established but that has not happened. There is still a security threat here in Tudun Biri and the earlier the government acted on the promise (military formation) the better for the community.”
Another victim, Aliyu Yakubu said that the village is yet to witness any development, except for the “clearance of the road” leading to Tudun Biri.
He added that “currently, the construction of the central mosque is ongoing here in our village. But since the clearing of the road a few days before Christmas and when men in military uniforms came to survey where they would establish a military formation, nothing is happening in Tudun Biri at the moment.”
About funds disbursement to victims, Ibrahim said they are yet to receive any funds from the government except relief materials, including foodstuff pledges, saying “we were told that many who made pledges could not redeem their pledges”.
