The United States Agency for International Development/OTI Nigeria and Lake Chad Basin have agreed to install 20 solar street lights on identified blind spots and construct about two kilometres of fence with concertina barricade wire along Zikpak border in Jema’a LGA of Kaduna State.
According to the USAID, the borders were “vulnerable and porous”, saying the measure would prevent attack on the community.
Arewa Trust Weekly reports that Jema’a LGC and USAID have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen physical security, improve safety and ensure recovery of livelihood of crisis-ridden communities in the area.
The council chairman, Hon Peter Danjuma Averik, signed on behalf of Jema’a LGA while the Community Development Facilitator, North East Regional Initiative (NERI), Ugbo Daniel Audu, signed for USAID Nigeria during a brief ceremony held at the council’s chamber in Kafanchan.
Ugbo said in addition to providing two motorcycles for prompt communication and mobilisation, USAID will train the community on early warning signs as well as implement programmes that would help the people recover from the trauma and other losses inflicted on them during recent attacks.
He explained that the agency’s intervention activities would be carried out in phases, adding that Zikpak community was considered first because an assessment carried out by USAID/OTI Nigeria and Lake Chad Basin showed that the community was the most prone to attacks.
The council chairman of Jema’a LGA, Peter Danjuma Averik, welcomed the gesture considering the prevailing realities in the area and assured that all facilities and materials provided would be used according to the programme’s descriptions
It would be recalled that, Zikpak community came under attack in July with 10 people killed and property worth millions of naira destroyed.
