Borno State Governor, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum on Monday invoked the wrath of God on anyone dverting food items and humanitarian assistance meant for Internally Displaced Persons in the state.
The incident took place in Monguno on Monday, where the had spend two days coordinating, supervising and trying to sanitize the distribution of food items to nearly 200,0000 IDPs in Monguno Local Government Area of Borno.
In Zulum’s presence, a copy of Qur’an was raised the traditional way, seeking the wrath of God against the Governor himself, humanitarian workers in the state emergency management agency, the national emergency management agency, other government officials and anyone for that matter, who diverts food and other aids meant for the welfare of displaced persons.
The Oath was also administered against IDPs who have the habit of collecting multiple rations of food most of which they sell in markets, depriving fellow displaced persons of food.
As soon as the official holding the Quaran and placing the curse began the act, dozens of adults disappeared from the long queues, raising suspicion that they could have been involved in the fraudulent practice. The official said:
“Listen to me very attentively, Governor Zulum has asked me to announce to you that from himself as governor down to humanitarian and government officials, in fact anybody at all that diverts food meant for IDPs, the curse of God through the instrumentality of the Qur’an will come upon them.
“May the wrath of God come upon anyone who has collected allocation ticket but came here to collect what is meant for others.
“You all know that food is distributed to households and everyone in the camps are part of a household.
“If you know you are not the head of a household or that you have already collected your portion, better leave the queue or incur the wrath of the Qur’an.”
Diversion of food items meant for displaced persons is a common practice among officials saddled with the welfare of such persons in many parts of the country especially in the North-East region where violent attacks by terrorist group – Boko Haram – hale eft many families homeless.
