Saraki donates N7.4m severance allowance to Leah Sharibu’s family, others

Immediate past President of the Nigerian Senate, Bukola Saraki, has directed that the National Assembly Management should distribute his Severance Allowance to families of three victims of the insurgency in the North-East, this includes Leah Sharibu's family.

According to the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission, the former Senate President, is entitled to a severance package of N7,452,727.

A non-returning senator is entitled to a severance allowance of N6,079,200. Deputy Senate President is entitled to N6,927,500,25. Non-returning Member of the House of Representatives is entitled to N5,955,637.

In a statement released by his Special Adviser (Media and Publicity), Yusuph Olaniyonu, Saraki stated that the Severance Allowance should be used to support the families of Leah Sharibu, who is being held by Boko Haram.

He said that part of the money should also be donated to the families of two humanitarian workers abducted and subsequently murdered by Boko Haram insurgents – Hussaini Ahmed Khoisan and Hauwa Liman.

The former Senate President also directed that children of late members of the Eight Senate who may require financial assistance in furtherance of their education as a Trust Fund is to be established by the management of the National Assembly for the purpose.

He stated that his decision to use the severance package to support the selected victims of the insurgency was based on the fact that their cases represented some of the most touching humanitarian issues debated at the plenary during the four-years of the Eighth Senate and on which his colleagues and himself made emotional and passionate speeches.

According to him, 20 per cent of the severance allowance is to be donated to the family of Leah Sharibu while 20 percent is also to be paid to the family of Hauwa Liman, the aid worker brutally murdered by Boko Haram after she was captured.