Borno State Government has established a dedicated relief fund to provide urgent assistance to those affected by the recent flooding in Maiduguri and its environs.
The Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on New Media, Abdurrahman Ahmed Bundi, disclosed this in a statement on Friday.
He said the state “government aims to mobilise support from citizens, organisations, and international partners to alleviate the suffering of flood victims and facilitate their recovery.”
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“The recent flood has caused significant destruction, displacement of families and damage to vital infrastructure.
“Faced with this humanitarian crisis, the Borno State Government calls on all individuals and groups to contribute to the newly created flood relief account.”
Following the devastating flood that has ravaged Maiduguri, the worst humanitarian disaster in decades, many victims have recounted their experience and count their losses.
Some areas in Borno experienced excess water flow into their homes.
By Monday, most areas along the waterways and flood-prone areas were already flooded.
Houses, markets, shops and public infrastructure too were not spared as they were submerged on Tuesday.
Hundreds of residents were lucky as they escaped the flood, however, with little or no belongings. While some slept on the streets, others relocated to relatives living in safer locations of the state.
The Borno State Government directed all the affected victims to take shelter in camps, and schools while the flood receded.
Some of the survivors who made it to the camp recounted their ordeal.
Among them is a resident of the state, Babakura Mustapha, who recalled how he received a call about his area being flooded.
“We were home when they called to inform us that flood had submerged Gudum, I have relatives there,” he said. “While on my way there, I was called back that my area had been flooded too.”
Search and rescue operations commenced on Wednesday as the floods continued to recede.
By Thursday, September 12, the waters had receded in most locations while some parts of the cities were still combating the floods.
Over 500 Shops Affected
As regards economic activities, some shop owners recounted their experience after the floods.
Speaking to Channels Television, the President of the Automobile Parts Dealers Association, Maiduguri, Ekene Emmanuel, said more than 500 shops were affected by the floods.
He said, “More than 500 shops are affected. Some shops have two or three people inside. So if you calculate more than 500 shops by human beings, you will find out that people will be more than 1,000.”
Also speaking, an automobile spare part owner in Borno, Uchenna Okoye, told Channels Television how he got wind of the traumatic situation.
“It was around 2 am that we got the information. According to the sources of the people that told us, floods have started coming to take over our area,” he said.
I Almost Lost My Son
Sharing his ordeal, a resident of Maiduguri said he almost lost his son to the humanitarian crisis that has engulfed the North-Eastern state.
He described the flood as different from previous incidents, saying he hadn’t experienced the current disaster before.
“I haven’t experienced such a thing in my life. I witnessed the 1994 flood disaster, but this one is quite different.
“It is very disturbing, I almost lost my son. He went out when the flood reached us, he was unable to reach home. It is one of our neighbours that helped us bring him home, I even lost hope that we may even see him,” he said.
