NGO secures $1.5m life-saving intervention in Borno to support vulnerable groups

…Troops foil kidnap attempt, rescue two victims in Benue

A non-governmental organisation, the Centre for Advocacy, Transparency and Accountability Initiative (CATAI), has secured a $1.5 million grant to provide life-saving interventions for vulnerable people affected by the conflict in Borno State.

Sadiq Mu’azu Abubakar, while speaking during the project inception workshop with the theme: “Integrated Livesaving Nutrition and Protection Assistance for Conflict-Affected Population in Kaga, Konduga and Ngala LGAs, Borno State”, held at the weekend in Maiduguri.

According to him, the vulnerable people in affected LGAs need urgent, dignified support to strengthen their resilience and provide livelihoods.

Sadiq emphasised that the project aimed to target critical gaps, including acute malnutrition, general protection, child protection, and gender-based violence, across the three Council Areas of the State.

He said, “We have a project inspection today in view of meeting and discussing with stakeholders across the three LGAs. This project is funded by the Nigeria Humanitarian Funds to support people in need, especially in communities facing severe humanitarian needs. So it is important to strengthen coordination and timely response across the LGAs.

“This grant is $1.5m to fund life-saving, impactful projects.
It is a project focused on life-saving interventions and is part of the humanitarian response in Nigeria.

“It aimed to reduce the severity of acute malnutrition, to reduce protection concerns across these communities and to complement the efforts by providing the people in need with dignified livelihood support in the next six months.”

Commenting on the project, Babi Baba Mala, Director of Data and Statistics at the Borno State Agency for Coordination of Sustainable Humanitarian Response, commended the CATAI for securing the grant, noting that its life-saving impact would help reduce some of the challenges facing our vulnerable people in the affected areas.

“This is a very good project that can help our communities to thrive again after long years of conflict. All the partners are complementing the state government’s efforts, and the project is essential to us because it would bridge the gaps,” she noted.

The Nigeria Humanitarian Funds funded the project, and they will be jointly implemented by CATAI, Unique Care and Support Foundation (CASFORD), and the Centre for Social Cohesion, Peace and Empowerment (CENSCOPE).

Meanwhile, troops of Operation Whirl Stroke (OPWS), have foiled a kidnap attempt and rescued two victims in Konshisha Local Government Area of Benue State.

A security source, who pleaded anonymity, said the incident occurred at Agidi Community in Konshisha LG.
He said that the troops responded swiftly to a distress call mobilised to the scene.

“On sighting the troops, the kidnappers abandoned the victims and fled into the nearby bushes”, the source said.

The two rescued victims were later released to reunite with their families.

BusinessDay gathered that the operation is part of ongoing efforts by security forces to curb kidnapping and other criminal activities in the State.