Christmas: Zulum gifts food items to Christian widows, others in Borno

Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno State, on Monday, distributed essential food items to widows and vulnerable members of the Christian community in preparation for the upcoming Christmas celebrations.

Over 6,000 people will benefit from the gesture, including 1,605 internally displaced persons (IDPs), who each received a bag of rice, a carton of spaghetti, and a gallon of cooking oil.

This year’s event, which took place on Monday, marks the continuation of a consistent policy of support since his inauguration in 2019, spanning the past five years.

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Governor Zulum approves the provision of Christmas support packages to the Christian community across the state each year, including free transportation for Christian residents who are not indigenes of Borno State to travel to their ancestral communities.

The gesture aims to ease the economic burden and ensure that the less privileged can celebrate the Christmas holiday with joy and dignity.

Zulum, while overseeing the distribution, emphasised the importance of peace, unity, and shared prosperity among all citizens of Borno State, irrespective of religious or ethnic differences.

“It is my sincere hope that the long-standing relationship between Muslims and Christians in Borno State will continue to thrive. I pray that Almighty Allah, in His infinite mercy, will bless our communities and ensure peaceful coexistence between the two religions,” Zulum stated.

He added, “Islamic teachings clearly state that Muslims are required to live in peaceful coexistence with non-Muslims through the preaching of the Qur’an, and I believe the same principle is obtained in the Bible.”

John Bogna Bakeni, the Borno State Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), who received the governor, expressed profound gratitude for his sustained empathy and support.

“Let me convey our deep gratitude to Your Excellency. This means a lot to us, the Christian community in Borno State. You have once again demonstrated your values and qualities of inclusion, giving hope and renewed reason for the Christian community to celebrate Christmas,” the CAN chairman said.