Not less than $1million has been donated to the Borno State Government by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation for the use of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the state.
Part of the money was used to procure food and relief items for the persons. Those at the IDPs were chased away from their respective homes by Boko Haram members, who had unleashed terror on the people.
Governor of Borno, Kashim Shettima, who flagged off distribution of the food items and farm outreach targeting 40,000 terrorists’ victims, expressed his gratitude at the kind gesture of the Gates’ foundation.
During the ceremony, which took place near Maiduguri, the state capital, Mr Shettima promised that his administration would do everything possible to support victims who are now returning to their communities.
He also announced that part of the money donated by the American ICT mogul would be used to commence funding of 100 hectares of farm where beans would be cultivated.
“We are grateful to God for creating people like Mr Bill Gates and his dear wife, Melinda. These leading lights of philanthropy across the world have shown love to the good people of Borno State at a time we are on the ground and looking for any hand to hold in trying to lift ourselves up,” the Governor said at the event.
Mr Shettima, during the occasion, supervised the distribution of 25 kilogram bag of rice and 10 kilogram bag of beans to each of 1,100 households at Mainok village in Kaga local government area, which is 45 kilometres away from Maiduguri.
Modupe Gbadeyanka 
Adedapo Adesanya