President Bola Tinubu’s children, Seyi and Yinka, in-law, Layal, have led a relief mission to Maiduguri, Borno State capital, to distribute aids to residents who were forced to leave homes after flood ravaged their communities.
They led members of the Noella Foundation, their associates, and some private sector partners, to visit the victims, commiserate with them and distribute mobilised humanitarian aid that could assist the affected residents get back to their previous status before the disaster.
Aside from the victims, the President’s children and their associates met the Borno State Governor, Prof. Babagana Zulum and the Shehu of Borno, on Friday.
The visit was said to have been inspired by President Bola Tinubu’s appeal to private individuals to support Maiduguri flood victims with relief materials.
After listening to the President, the children and their in-law, as learnt, quickly rallied friends, associates, and organisations within their private circle to mobilise substantial resources to deliver vital food, non-food, and medical supplies to thousands of internally displaced persons (IDPs) affected by the floods.
They noted that their aims behind the visit was basically to bring much-needed assistance to displaced persons and flood victims.
Speaking on behalf of the team, Tinubu’s most senior son, Seyi, stated that the donations were just immediate measures they considered to quickly bring relief, saying more donations will be made.
He said: “We are here today, united in the belief that when our people are in need, we respond with action. These contributions are just the beginning, and we will continue to support Maiduguri and Borno State as they recover from this tragedy.”
He added that this initiative is a sustained effort, with more aid and resources expected in the coming weeks to ensure that no family is left behind in the recovery process. The relief drive is part of a larger commitment by the Noella Foundation to strengthen communities and provide relief in times of crisis.
The generous donation includes 1,000 cartons each of spaghetti, tomato paste, and groundnut oil, along with 200 bags of maize flour and 500 bags of 25kg rice, to provide essential sustenance. Additionally, 10,000 loaves of bread were donated to help address basic food needs. The donation also includes seasoning, such as 200 cartons of Maggi, 1,000 bags of salt, and 100 cartons of sugar, to enhance the nutritional value of the meals.
Beyond food, the relief package included essential non-food items to help displaced families maintain dignity and improve their living conditions. These items include 5,000 mosquito nets to prevent the spread of malaria, 1,000 mattresses for comfort, and 4,000 blankets for warmth. Personal hygiene was also addressed with the distribution of 4,000 wash kits and buckets, sanitary wares, along with 4,000 kettles for daily use. Furthermore, 4,000 wrappers and 10,000 mats were provided, ensuring that families have basic provisions to cover their needs.
The medical aspect of this intervention was equally robust, with a range of medications and supplies aimed at addressing the immediate health concerns of the displaced population. The donated medical items include 26,000 packs of antimalarial drugs, 3,500 boxes of analgesics, 3,000 boxes of anti-ulcer medications, and 35,000 packs of antihypertensive drugs. Additional items include 50 cartons of antidiabetic medication, 110 cartons of antidiarrheal drugs, and 9,650 boxes of antibiotics and antifungal treatments. To further bolster health care efforts, 3,500 cartons of antiparasitic drugs, 1,500 cartons of medical infusions, and 4,500 boxes of medical consumables were donated.
In addition to these, 50medical doctors within the network of friends were mobilised and are already on ground to provide additional support to the State Ministry of Health for the next few days under this initiative.
Zulum expressed his gratitude for the swift response and assured that the resources would be distributed efficiently to meet the needs of the affected populations.
