Jutha Gupah, Maiduguri
The Borno State Government has allocated 200 plots of land to widows of 200 members of Civilian JTF killed in fighting Boko Haram insurgency in the state. The donated plots of land are located in Njimtilo village, along Maiduguri-Kano road. Distribution of allocated land is to be coordinated by President of Support for Widows, Orphans and Tsangaya (SWOT) Foundation, Hajiya Nana Kashim Shettima, and also wife of Governor. Announcing the allocations on Thursday in Maiduguri, while distributing 200 bags each of rice and sugar and Ramadan gifts to widows, the Commissioner of Land and Survey, Sugum Mai Mele said the land donation was inevitable to encourage widows of slain Boko Haram fighters own houses. His words: “Each one of you is to go home with a bag each of rice and sugar, a wrapper, keg of cooking oil and N5, 000 cash for transport fares to your respective houses. “The Civilian JTF being a child of circumstances does not have provisions for either pension or allowances for its members either from the federal or state governments. “Borno state government deemed it necessary to support the widows; as their husbands were killed in the nine-year Boko Haram insurgency that claimed many lives and property.” Nana, who was represented by the Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice, Kaka Shehu Lawan said the gesture is an annual event of the Foundation to improve the living conditions of the less privileged in society. “The Civilian JTF was created out of circumstances and they are not expecting any pensions or allowances from either the state government or Federal,” said Lawan, noting that the Foundation deemed it fit to encourage and support widows. He continued: “We have different categories of the slain Civilian JTF fighters. Some of them died married, others died without a wife while some of them died with several orphans. “Government has divided them into categories with different criteria. This particular group belongs to the worked out criteria on widows. “The other ones who left their children behind, government are taking care of them; as well as families of those who died unmarried.”
