Worse, the amount realized can also not be deployed to provide immediate succour to the victims 12 months after, because of a directive from former President Goodluck Jonathan stopping the disbursement of the funds, the Victims Support Fund group said.
The government fundraiser which held July 31, raked in N54.7 billion in promised donations from the federal and state governments, and the private sector.
The government donated N20 billion while key oil and gas operators gave N17 billion.
The banking sector offered N15 billion; investor Tony Elumelu gave N2.5 billion; and former defence minister, T.Y. Danjuma promised N1.6billion.
The 36 states and the FCT gave N3.7billion; Arthur Eze and Mohammed Indimi, N800million each; Folorunsho Alakija, Dahiru Mangal, Abdul Samad Rabiu, N500million each.
Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, Zenith bank chief, Jim Ovia, Wale Tinubu, Mike Adenuga, donated N1billion each.
The donated sum exceeded the government’s target by N8 billion.
At the function, a delighted former President Jonathan spoke of his “immense appreciation of the kindness of all persons who responded enthusiastically” to his appeal for donations.
He said the expression of support, cooperation and solidarity by Nigerians and friends of Nigeria at the launch showed that the public “is genuinely concerned about the threat of terrorism to our common humanity and stands ready to support worthy causes and pro-people policies”.
The chairman of the fund committee, Mr. Danjuma, said the money was “not for combating terror or fighting terrorist organizations but for supporting victims of terrorist attacks”.
By July 2015, nearly a year after, only N24 billion has been realised, the director of the Nigerian Foundation for Support of Victims of Terrorism, Sunday Ochoche, told us.
More Nigerians have in recent weeks questioned the whereabouts of the funds as more victims of Boko Haram’s unrelenting attacks call for help and accuse the government of neglect.
That concern grew after the deputy chairman of the Victims Support Funds, Fola Adeola, dramatically stepped down from the group late June.
Mr. Adeola, a former vice presidential candidate, did not give any reason for quitting.
But a source briefed about the decision told us at the time that, “All kinds of things happened there that he just wants a quiet exit. He doesn’t want to get into any trouble”.
In a statement two weeks ago, Bomb Victims Association of Nigeria deplored the Nigerian government’s treatment to its members.
The group, whose members were affected by repeated terrorist attacks since 2010, said several people who initially survived attacks by Boko Haram, died due to prolonged neglect by the government and their inability to pay their medical bills in hospitals at home and abroad.
The group questioned why the money – which it estimated at N80 billion – realised by the government fund, was not put to use.
But the director of Victims Support Fund Foundation, Mr. Ochoche, said the money promised was N54 billion. He said N58 billion was announced erroneously as it later became clear a donation of N4 billion was counted twice.
Even so, he said only N24 has been recovered. The federal government, for instance, only redeemed N5 billion.
None of the state governments has redeemed their pledges, and many individuals who made vows have also not paid in, he said.
He did not disclose the identities of those owing.
Jonathan stops funds
The amount realised is also stuck, and could not be put to use because of a presidential directive stopping the disbursement, Mr. Ochoche said.
He said the presidency had written in March 2015 asking the committee to immediately cease distribution of relief materials to victims of Boko Haram, as only the National Emergency Management Agency had the mandate to do so.
“We got a clear directive from the federal government directly from President Goodluck Jonathan telling Victim Support Fund to hands off distribution of relief materials to the Internally Displaced Persons and victims of insurgency in general.
The directive, he said, came shortly after the Foundation for Support of Victims of Terrorism in December 2014 supported NEMA with N250 million to support 10,000 victims of Boko Haram victims by distributing food and none-food items to them.
There were 3,500 victims in Adamawa State who received the support, 1,300 at Gombe, 4,500 at Borno and 200 at Waru community, Abuja, he said.
It is not clear why the former president gave the directive.
Former President Jonathan could not be reached. His spokespersons could not also be reached.
Mr. Ochoche said the balance of the money, save for the donation to NEMA, remains intact with the support fund group.
He, however, said after the president’s directive, it became clearer the fund is not an emergency intervention agency, but one focused on medium and long term plan for victims of terrorism.
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