The Federal Government has flagged off the Presidential Emergency Food and Nutrition Distribution programme in Zamfara State as part of ongoing efforts to support Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), vulnerable households, and communities affected by insecurity.
The initiative, led by the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, aims to provide urgent humanitarian assistance while strengthening long-term recovery and poverty reduction measures across affected areas.
Representing the Honourable Minister, Dr. Bernard M. Doro, the Federal Commissioner of the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI), Hon. Tijani Aliyu Ahmed, said the intervention demonstrates the Federal Government’s commitment to delivering timely support to citizens in distress.
He commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for prioritising citizens’ welfare under the Renewed Hope Agenda, noting that humanitarian assistance remains central to the administration’s social protection strategy.
Ahmed disclosed that Nigeria currently hosts over 6.7 million internally displaced persons alongside more than 140,000 refugees, returnees, migrants, and asylum seekers nationwide. According to him, Zamfara State alone accounts for over 298,000 displaced persons due to persistent insecurity and communal conflicts.
He explained that the Ministry’s mandate goes beyond emergency relief to include poverty reduction, resilience building, and sustainable recovery programmes designed to help affected populations rebuild their lives.
The NCFRMI Commissioner further revealed that the Commission has resettled more than 400 displaced persons in Gusau through a purpose-built community equipped with housing units, healthcare services, schools, security infrastructure, and livelihood facilities.
In his remarks, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Mr. Olubunmi Olusanya, represented by the Director of General Services, Auwalu Isa Gwangwazo, said the programme aligns with ongoing reforms aimed at strengthening transparency, expanding the national social register, and improving last-mile delivery of assistance to verified beneficiaries.
Also speaking at the event, Zamfara State Governor Dauda Lawal assured continued collaboration with the Federal Government to ensure equitable and effective distribution of relief materials across the state.
The flag-off ceremony attracted government officials, traditional rulers, and key stakeholders from the humanitarian sector, underscoring a coordinated approach to addressing displacement and food insecurity challenges in the state.
