ASUU donates relief materials to victims of gunmen attacks in Taraba

THE Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), on Saturday, donated relief materials to victims of Jan. 5, suspected gunmen attacks in Katibu, Lau Local Government Area (LGA), Taraba.

Items donated to the victims, who are taking shelter in Central Primary School (CPS), Jalingo, and Government Secondary School (GSS), Negatavah, are bags of grains, seasoning, clothes, cooking oil, among others.

Presenting the items to the victims at CPS Jalingo, the Chairman, Taraba State University ASUU Chapter, Dr Ruben Jonathan, said the gesture was to cushion their hardship.

Jonathan urged them to “consider the union’s love and sympathy in this difficult time as more important than the relief materials, which might not be sufficient’’.

The chairman also advised them to play an active part in ensuring sustainable peace in the area, especially now that they have seen adverse effects of crises.

Responding, the spokesman of the victims, Malam Bakari Katibu, thanked ASSU for the assistance, saying that it was the first organisation to come to their aid.

He expressed concern that they had not received any support from the state government throughout their stay on campus.

Katibu said over 3000 Displaced Persons reported to the camp on Jan. 5, though some later moved to stay with relatives in host communities.

He identified poor sanitary conditions, lack of health services, shortage of water and mattresses as some of their challenges.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Jonathan and his team also made similar donations to other victims at GSS, Negatavah.