Post-election violence: FG disburses N5.7bn to eight states

The Federal Government on Thursday disbursed a total of N5.747bn to eight of the states affected in the post-2011 presidential election violence in Nigeria.

Vice President Namadi Sambo presented the money to the representatives of the affected states at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

The breakdown of the disbursement showed that Bauchi State collected N1,574,879,000; Zamfara State - 93,253, 485.00; Niger State - N433,375,875; Jigawa State - N208,667, 634.00; Katsina State - N1,973,209,440.00; Kano State - N944,827,000.00; Adamawa State - N420,089,840.00; and Akwa Ibom State - N43,504,000.00.

Borno, Yobe, Nassarawa, Gombe and Kaduna states are expected to get their disbursements at a later date.

Sambo said two years after the violence, President Goodluck Jonathan remained pained by the incident which necessitated the disbursement.

'It  is with deepest sense of sorrow that President Goodluck Jonathan and indeed the entire government and people of Nigeria remain deeply pained by the violent acts and civil disturbances which necessitated today's event,' he said.

He regretted that the violence erupted after all the efforts put into ensuring that the elections were free and fair.

Sambo vowed that no amount of crisis or violence would hinder government's promises as well as ensure the safety and security of all citizens.

He said the President approved the disbursement of financial assistance to the victims after a painstaking process of assessments, verification and collaboration between the Federal Government and the concerned states.

He commended members of the the panel of Investigation of the 2011 Election Violence and Civil Disturbances led by Sheik Ahmed Lemu for showing courage, dedication and sound judgement, which has helped the country at during that trying time.

He noted that the disbursement of the funds was part of the panel's recommendations which looked at the need for political/constitutional reforms, as they tried to ascertain the number of persons who lost their lives or sustained injuries, the spread and extent of loss and damage to means of livelihood as well as the cost of damage to persons and public properties and places of worship