At least 102 victims of fire incidents across Katsina State have received ₦65 million in support from the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), the government announced on Thursday.
The disbursement ceremony, held at the SEMA Complex in the Old Government House, Katsina, was flagged off by the Deputy Governor, Faruk Jobe. He revealed that the beneficiaries came from 14 Local Government Areas (LGAs) and urged them to use the financial aid wisely to improve their living standards.
Jobe also highlighted the state’s previous support to over 1,000 flood victims, who received a total of ₦451 million, and reaffirmed the government’s ongoing efforts to assist vulnerable groups affected by disasters and insecurity.
“This is not compensation but support,” the Deputy Governor emphasised, stressing that government assistance to disaster victims has become a consistent feature of the current administration.
In her address, the Executive Secretary of SEMA, Hajiya Binta Dangani, noted that this marks the ninth intervention by the agency since 2023. She explained that beneficiaries were grouped based on the extent of damage suffered, with some receiving ₦4 million, ₦2 million, or ₦1 million.
According to Dangani, while over 300 individuals across the state were affected by fire disasters, only 102 were screened and approved for this round of support.
The initiative reaffirms the Katsina State Government’s commitment to cushioning the effects of disasters on residents and helping them rebuild their lives.