Paul Orude, Bauchi

Former Vice President Alhaji Atiku Abubakar has donated the sum of N10 million to victims of windstorm that wrecked havoc, in Bauchi, recently.

At least eight people were killed while properties worth hundreds of millions of naira were destroyed in the windstorm that occurred in some part of Bauchi metropolis on Saturday, June 16, 2018.

The former vice president announced the donation when he visited the Emir of Bauchi, Alhaji Rilwanu Adamu, in his palace, on Monday, to commiserate with the people of the state over the recent disaster.

The former president said that he had planned to visit the state twice-during the death of Sen. Ali Wakili (Bauchi South) and the 40th anniversary of the Emir of Ningi, Alhaji Yunusa Danyaya, but to no avail.

He stated that his visit to commiserate with the people of Bauchi was almost truncated yet again because he had problems with the aircraft scheduled to convey him to the state at the time.

 

In the words of Abubakar, “I am happy that I am able to make the visit today to Bauchi because I was determined to come here to symphatise  with you over the havoc.

Related News

“I pray for the repose of the souls of the dead and those who lost their properties. I came with N10 million for the victims and I pray to God to forestall such occurrence in the future.”

In his response, the Emir of Bauchi thanked the former vice president for the visit, saying that the gesture was a demonstration of his love to the people of the state.

The traditional ruler stated that even though Abubakar was unable to come physically on the two previous occasions that he had planned to visit the state, the Emirate always receive his goodwill messages.

The Emir’s words, “We deeply appreciate your support and love for the people of Bauchi. All we can say is that the windstorm and the fire that engulfed the market in Azare are trials from God and we pray that such will not happen again,”.

The monarch  then assured the former Vice President that the money will get to the victims through the committee set up by the state government.

In his vote of thanks, Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the state, Alhaji Hamza Akoshi Akuyam, thanked the vice president and members of his entourage for the visit saying the gesture was timely.

The former vice president and his entourage also proceeded to Azare to commiserate with the people over the fire incident that destroyed over 1,000 shops in Azare market.

It was reported that less than 24 hours after the windstorm incident, fire razed down almost the entire Azare  market in Katagum Local  which is the second largest city after Bauchi.