The Federal Government has launched a large-scale food assistance programme aimed at supporting 42,000 vulnerable Yobe residents, providing essential items to improve nutrition and alleviate hardship.
The initiative is part of the Presidential Emergency Food and Nutrition Intervention Programme, which targets populations most affected by poverty, conflict, and climate-related food insecurity.
It specifically prioritises internally displaced persons, returning families, female-headed households, malnourished children, the elderly, and persons living with disabilities.
Rice, beans, millet, maize, palm oil, cooking oil, tomatoes, seasoning cubes, and salt have been dispatched in truckloads to all 17 local government areas, marking the second phase of the state’s Ramadan support programme.
At the flag-off ceremony, Minister of State for Humanitarian Affairs, Yusuf Sununu, described the intervention as a strategic measure addressing worsening poverty and food insecurity nationwide.
“This programme strengthens social protection, enhances community resilience, and provides short-term stability for households facing extreme vulnerability,” he said.
The programme is coordinated by the Yobe State Emergency Management Agency in collaboration with the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria to ensure accountability and effective distribution.
During the flag-off, Governor Mai Buni reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to humanitarian support, stating, “Providing food to vulnerable citizens is not merely an act of charity; it is a responsibility and an investment in a better future.”
He emphasised that the intervention complements ongoing state efforts to improve food security and reduce economic hardship.
Also, Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Olubunmi Olusanya, added that the programme also addresses nutrition-related challenges in the most affected northern states, reinforcing the federal government’s commitment under President Bola Tinubu’s leadership to protect at-risk communities.
