Beneficiaries of the presidential relief materials brought by the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to Dikko Primary Healthcare Centre have expressed disappointment over the distribution process. the materials were meant for families of victims and survivors of a recent explosion.
According to the beneficiaries, after the NEMA Director-General officially launched the distribution, they were led to the clinic section of the healthcare center to receive their share.
However, they were shocked when officials handed them only a “mudu” (a small measure) of rice and a “mudu” of beans instead of the full bags that had been promised.
Some families revealed that NEMA delivered the relief materials on January 20, 2025, two days after the explosion. The supplies included 200 bags of 25 kg rice, 200 bags of maize, 50 cartons of vegetable oil, 20 cartons of Maggi seasoning, 20 cartons of tomato paste, and 20 bags of salt.
Medical supplies such as drips, iodine, gloves, and analgesics were also provided and distributed to hospitals in Dikko, Suleja, Tafa, and Maje.
However, many recipients alleged that the items were handed over to NEMA officials and their counterparts from the Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA) without proper distribution.
Some families claimed they protested the inadequate sharing of food items, but officials insisted that the process was fair.
One woman whose sister suffered first-degree burns said her sister’s name was recorded, but she did not receive any relief materials. Another victim, Mohammed Adamu, said he received only half of a 25 kg bag of rice and maize.
Similarly, Jibrin Abubakar, a shop owner who lost goods worth over N23 million in the explosion, said that receiving a 25 kg bag of rice was not nearly enough to compensate for his losses.
At NEMA’s coordinating office in Minna, no officials were available to comment on the issue. However, NSEMA’s Public Relations Officer, Ibrahim Hussein, stated that the distribution was done transparently in collaboration with community leaders.
He explained that some victims received full bags of supplies while others were grouped together to share two bags based on their needs.
