Ebonyi State Governor, Francis Nwifuru, has disbursed N200,000 each to approximately 800 victims of the state who were repatriated back to Ebonyi, in a bid to alleviate the hardships faced by the victims of the Ilaje Otumara village demolition by the Lagos State Government.
The financial assistance, aimed at providing immediate relief to the victims, comes nearly four weeks after the state government evacuated them from the demolition site. Many of the affected individuals, primarily women and children, have expressed their gratitude for the governor’s intervention.
Some of the repatriated victims shared their painful experiences during the demolition. Mrs. Charity Okeosisi, one of the victims, recalled that they were still asleep around 4 AM when the demolition began. She explained that while they scrambled to salvage their belongings, area boys who accompanied the demolition team looted their properties. Okeosisi described the ordeal as both painful and agonizing, noting that many families lost everything they had worked for.
“Many of us have been forced to start life all over again since our arrival in Ebonyi,” she said, adding that weeks of living without sufficient means of support had made their situation even more difficult.
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Mrs. Martina Ofoke, another beneficiary, expressed relief and satisfaction at the swift response from the Ebonyi State Government. “The financial assistance will go a long way in helping us put food on the table,” she said, grateful for the governor’s empathy and prompt intervention.
Other victims also voiced their appreciation for the financial support, with many expressing hope that the state government would further empower them to rebuild their lives. “We have no other place to go,” they said, urging the state to consider providing avenues for sustainable livelihoods. They also raised concerns about the fate of other victims from various states who are still stranded in Lagos, fearing that their abandonment could contribute to increased crime rates in the area.
After handing over the checks, Mr. Valentine Okike-Uzo, the State Commissioner for Special Duties and Focal Person of the Ebonyi State Diaspora Office, explained that the financial assistance was just one of the steps taken by the state government to ease the suffering of the victims. Okike-Uzo assured the beneficiaries that the government would roll out additional programs aimed at resettling them and supporting their integration into the state.
The commissioner also emphasized that all 800 repatriated victims had been properly documented and would receive the full financial assistance. He urged the beneficiaries to use the funds responsibly and contribute positively to the state’s development. Okike-Uzo concluded by encouraging the victims to remain law-abiding citizens as they resettle in their respective localities.
