Flood: Fresh humanitarian crisis concern as over 200,000 displaced in Maiduguri

A humanitarian crisis is looming in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, after a flood ravaged a large part of the metropolis.

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) confirmed that over 200,000 individuals have been displaced, with an unspecified number of people, including children, still missing.

The floods were triggered by the collapse of the Alau Dam, which overflowed into the state capital, affecting residential and commercial areas such as Monday Market, the Palace of the Shehu of Borno, and several localities including Shehuri, Gwange, and Gamboru. Many residents are struggling to locate their loved ones.

Fatima Ali, a local resident, said: “I managed to escape, but my parents and six siblings remain trapped. I want to appeal to the government to do everything humanly possible to rescue them.”

Shop owner Ibrahim Musa added: “We just fled the zoo area for fear of being attacked by the escaping wildlife. All the shops around the popular Monday Market and post office have been submerged by the flood.”

Muhammad Bulama, a trader, lamented: “Our goods worth billions of naira have been submerged. Just pray for us.”

Ibrahim Jirgi, who covered the 1994 flood for the BBC, noted, “During the 1994 incident, the whole of Maiduguri was taken over by water. People climbed trees to survive, and many residents thought that the world had come to an end.”

The Gwange Cemetery has also been overwhelmed by the flood, resulting in floating corpses on the streets. A resident reported, “The cemetery is already flat, and the water pressure exhumed corpses from several graves. Women and children are traumatised by the horrific sights.”

Patients at the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH) have been stranded due to flooding, with Ali Galadima noting, “She was complaining of hunger but the water level couldn’t allow me to access the hospital. Many patients’ relatives are stranded looking for ways to access them.”

Acting Zonal Coordinator of NEMA, Sirajo Garba, stated that Maiduguri is on high alert due to the flood’s severe impact, though the exact number of casualties has not yet been confirmed.

Abubakar Ngubdo, Chairman of the Association of Resident Doctors, warned of potential water-borne diseases due to contaminated water. He said, “There would be pollution because corpses floated, sewages, septic tanks, and refuse dumps are also there. The government should act quickly to prevent an epidemic.”

Ali Abatcha, General Manager of Sanda Kyarimi Museum Park, reported that 80% of the zoo’s wildlife were killed by the flood, with dangerous animals like crocodiles and snakes having been washed into communities. He advised the public to take precautions against potential attacks.

In response, the Borno State Government has reopened several Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camps to shelter those affected. State police spokesman Kenneth Daso urged citizens to avoid flooded routes and seek safer locations.

Additionally, the flood has reportedly impacted Boko Haram’s enclave, Dollarland, in Sambisa Forest, resulting in numerous insurgent casualties. A security source revealed, “The flood swept into Dollarland while the insurgents were asleep, leading to massive casualties.”

The flood also damaged part of the old prison, leading to the evacuation of inmates to a new maximum-security facility in Maiduguri.

Nigeria To Intensify Flood Mitigation – Shettima

Vice President Kashim Shettima has assured that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration will tackle the challenges of floods in Nigeria.

The Vice President, who gave the assurance in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, on Tuesday, noted that though the factors leading to the ravaging flood and other recurring disasters in the country are diverse, President Tinubu has already developed a comprehensive roadmap aimed at addressing these challenges head-on.

The Shettima is in Maiduguri for an on-the-spot assessment of the ravaging floods that have displaced communities in the state.

Commiserating with the victims of the flood disaster, he said that President Tinubu not only expressed his “deepest sympathies” but had also assured that the federal government will prioritise the welfare of the affected communities.

It’s a National Calamity – Buhari

Former President Muhammadu Buhari has sent his commiserations to the government and people of Borno and other states following severe floods caused by incessant downpours, describing the situation as a national calamity.

The former President said he had heard of the widespread devastation of homes and farmland and the loss of life in Borno and several other states of the federation, describing it as a national calamity.

Buhari expressed his hope that the relief measures taken by the various governments would provide comfort and help those who had lost their family members and livelihoods to resume their everyday lives.