Saraki gifts severance pay to Leah Sharibu’s family, late senators’ children

Nigeria’s former senate president, Bukola Saraki has donated his severance pay to families of three victims of Boko Haram insurgency.

They are Leah Sharibu, Hussaini Ahmed Khoisan and Hauwa Liman.

In a statement issued on his behalf by Yusuph Olaniyonu, his spokesman, Saraki directed that part of the allowance, said to be at above N7.5 million, should also be used to establish a trust fund for children of senators who died during the 8th senate.

The severance package is for Saraki and other lawmakers who would not be returning to the national assembly.

The former senate president said 20 percent of the allowance should be used to support the family of Sharibu, a schoolgirl from Yobe state still being held by Boko Haram over one year after her abduction.

He said another 20 percent each should also be donated to families of Khoisan and Liman, the two humanitarian workers abducted and subsequently murdered by Boko Haram insurgents.

He directed the national assembly management to use the remaining 40 percent to set up a trust fund to cater to the education of the children of deceased senators in the 8th senate.

The statement quoted Saraki as saying the decision to donate the severance package to selected victims of the insurgency was because their cases represented some of the most touching humanitarian issues debated at plenary during the 8th senate.

“It is my hope that this trust fund should grow with more contributions from my dear colleagues, present, past and future, who may be moved to put in additional money into it,” he said.

“The Clerk of the National Assembly will immediately get an official letter from me mandating him to act as stated above on the disbursement of my Severance Allowance.”