Remi Tinubu doles out N100m to victims of Niger tanker explosions

First lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu on Tuesday donated N100 million to the families of 70 victims of tanker explosion in Niger State.

Speaking at the Niger State Government House during her private visit to the state, Tinubu said the money is to alleviate the sufferings of the families so that they would not feel the impact of the disaster.

“We usually write a condolence letter to the Governor each time we are aware of any challenges in the state, but this recent one, I know I had to do something. We are donating N100 million to rehabilitate the families. We are looking at 70 families. Each family will have N1 million to help them settle while the balance will be shared among them for other extra expenses like food items and others.

“This is to help them so that they won’t feel the disaster and the impact of it. We pray such a disaster will not happen again. We pray that this will be an end to it. So that the progress can come in”, she said.

Tinubu said she was not in the state for an official visit but rather a private visit to the former leaders, General Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida and General Abdulsalami Abubakar.

She commended the state Governor, Farmer Umaru Mohammed Bago, for what his administration is doing in the area of agriculture, saying, “You have been doing a lot in agriculture,e, and you should be proud of yourself. May God help you.”

In response, the Governor, Farmer Umaru Mohammed Bago appreciated the Wife of the President for her visit and her donation to the victims of the explosion.

He assured that though the distribution of the funds would not be made directly by him but by his wife, there would be equitable distribution of the funds to the victims.

“This is a consolidation of our relationship as a state and country. We are grateful that you have come to share with us in pains and commiserate with Nigerlites over the losses we had in recent times, the tanker explosion in Dikko, the dynamite explosion in Magama LG and Mashegu and the collapsed mines in Shiroro local government.

“Though this is not a state visit, it is a personal visit but we really appreciate you, Ma. Thank you so much for your widow’s mite. She brought N100 million; she said my wife would do the job of the distribution of the victims”, he said.