BORNO FLOOD: Gov. Zulum Flags Off Relief Distribution, Unveiles Plan For Adequate Assessment Of Victims

Borno State governor, Prof. Babagana Umara Zulum, has officially launched the distribution of relief materials to victims affected by flood in Maiduguri, Borno State’s capital.

Other victims include communities under Jere and Konduga local government areas of the state.

The relief distribution took place on Monday at Bakasi Camp along Domboa Road, Maiduguri.

Each beneficiary received a 25kg bag of rice, a carton of spaghetti, and 10,000 Naira in cash.

The flood disaster, which displaced thousands and destroyed hundreds of houses and other important public and private facilities, was triggered by the overflow of the Alau Dam, a water reservoir in Konduga local government, about 100 kilometers away from Maiduguri.

Speaking to journalists, Governor Zulum expressed concern about the influx of people into the IDP camps that serves as shelter to the displaced persons.

He noted that many people inside the camps are not actually affected by the floods.

‘We have observed that it is no longer sustainable to continue receiving people in the camps because many people who were not affected are coming to the camps,’ Gov. Zulum said.

To respond to that, the governor announced their plans to address it.

He said they would conduct a thorough assessment of the affected areas to inform future interventions.

‘We have decided to mobilize resources to ensure that each affected victim receives relief items.

‘We have also concluded arrangements to conduct a community-level assessment to verify the actual number of those affected,’ Gov. Zulum explained.

Stating further, Governor Zulum acknowledged the receipt of a food donation from the Federal Ministry of Agriculture.

Other donors he mentioned are National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) to support the flood victims.

The Director General of NEMA, Zubaida Umar has also highlighted her agency’s interventions for flood victims.

She said they are providing shelters and mobile water purifiers to ensure access to clean drinking water to the IDPs.