In response to a devastating bird invasion that destroyed large swathes of farmland, Borno State Governor Babagana Zulum has launched a major relief intervention in Dikwa Town, reaching over 53,000 residents with food, cash, and clothing support.
The distribution, which took place at the palace grounds of the Shehu of Dikwa, provided food items to 18,000 male heads of households and financial aid to 35,000 women, following the widespread destruction caused by quelea birds and other pests that ravaged crops in the area.
Gov. Zulum, who personally supervised the exercise on Monday, expressed deep concern over the scale of agricultural losses, stressing that the emergency intervention was aimed at averting a looming food crisis.
“The invasion of pests and quelea birds destroyed most of the farmlands here, which are the primary source of livelihood for over 90 percent of the population,” Gov. Zulum said.
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“This support is necessary to help families recover and ensure food security in the short term.”
Each of the 18,000 male beneficiaries received two bags of rice and sorghum, while 35,000 women received N10,000 in cash along with a wrapper (traditional clothing material), bringing the total cash disbursement to N350 million.
Gov. Zulum noted that this was the first major food distribution in Dikwa in 18 months, citing improved security and agricultural activities as reasons for previously scaling back humanitarian interventions across the state.
“Because of the improved security situation, people had returned to their farms, and we had reduced humanitarian support by 90 percent.
However, the recent drought and pest attacks have reversed those gains in some communities like Dikwa,” he explained.
The governor was accompanied by several top officials, including the Chairman of the State Palliatives Distribution Committee, Bukar Talba, the member representing Dikwa at the state House of Assembly, Zakariya Mohammed, and the Commissioner for Local Government and Emirates Affairs, Sugun Mele.
This intervention is part of Gov. Zulum’s broader strategy to support communities affected by conflict, climate shocks, and agricultural disruptions, while also strengthening local food production systems and pest control mechanisms across Borno State.
