National president of the Nigerian Red Cross Society (NRCS), Chief BolajiAnani, has disclosed that, seven of its members have been lost to the bomb blast in the North East zone, in the course of rendering humanitarian services.
Chief Anani made the disclosure at the Annual General Meeting, of the Edo State branch of the Nigerian Red Cross Society, which also doubled as the election and inauguration of the new executive to pilot the affairs of the body for the next four years.
“In the North East, during the bomb blast, we lost about seven persons. We have terrible situations whereby two ladies were taken in as captives, and they were killed by eastern terrorist groups.
“They are not really members of the Nigerian Red Cross, but they were members of the movement. So, there are some risks that are related to our work, particularly, in the North East, whereby people are paying the price in the discharge of their services,”
“The red cross is an organization that is international, within the body itself which have different groups. The Nigerian Red Cross Society, we have the International Committee of the Red Cross, which is the international body of red cross to look at the areas where they have offices of those who are suffering. And the International Federation of the Red Cross, is the body that registers all national societies, and know their members. That is how the body exists.”
” In the North-East , everybody is working together to reduce the suffering for those who are affected by the violence, destruction and the health development in the place. Even the management of camps, all are done by the Red Cross together and creating of shelters for those who move out from their homes.
“There is displacement of people and many of them are affected by various diseases. There are also people who are dehumanized because of the suffering they have gone through. So the Red Cross is responsible for the management of all these disasters, diseases, trauma by ways of social counseling and education, ” he added.
South-South chairman of NRCS thanked the Edo State branch for the innovations, skill and training given to the youths and promised to always be with them.
Giving his remarks, out-gone secretary of Edo State branch of the Nigerian Red Cross Society, Wilson Ekhomogiazin, said the branch has enjoyed the support and cooperation of all those who had worked with them, which led to the tremendous progress of the body.
He said the service made him to rededicate his love for serving humanity and thanked all that came to grace the occasion.
At the inauguration of the new executive, Comrade Festus Alenkhe was re-elected chairman of Edo state branch.
In his acceptance speech after being sworn-in, he pleaded for the support of members to bring new ideas to the group and promised to work with members and other branch chairmen to achieve the group goals. He said the 2019 annual general meeting was to enable them roll out all their activities for the year.
Comrade Alenkhe disclosed that the body has been having a lot of activities in Edo state, especially in the areas of humanitarian assistance services to the flood victims and thanked all the volunteers for a job well done.
