• Many residents remain trapped in communities, says Ndume
• Tinubu visits Borno capital, assures flood victims of FG’s support
• Sultan wants govt to publicise flood-prone zones to boost safety
• IGP orders reconstruction of police facilities destroyed by flood
• Kano donates N100m to victims

Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum, yesterday, lamented the influx of unaffected persons into camps for the displaced, saying the situation was hampering relief operations.

The governor raised the alarm while flagging off the distribution of relief materials to victims in 36 internally displaced persons camps. Residents were reportedly killed, some trapped, and many others displaced when houses and farmlands were submerged by flooding that wreaked havoc in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, last week following the collapse of the Alau Dam.

Zulum told journalists, “We observed that it is no more sustainable to continue receiving people in the camps because many people that were not affected are trooping to the camps.”

In addition to distributing relief materials, the governor announced plans to comprehensively assess the affected areas for future interventions. He said, “We decided to mobilise resources and ensure that each affected victim had the relief items. We have also concluded arrangements to assess the communities to verify the actual number of those affected.”

The ceremony for the distribution of relief materials was held at Bakasi Camp along Damboa Road in Maiduguri. Each victim received a bag of 25kg of rice, a carton of pasta, and N10,000 cash.

Similarly, the Director General of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Zubaida Umar, highlighted her agency’s interventions, saying NEMA provided shelters and mobile water purifiers to deliver clean drinking water to the victims.

Zulum, at the weekend, said the total number of lives lost in the flood disaster is unknown, as efforts are made to ensure areas not yet accessible are reached as soon as possible.  He also reassured the affected victims that the government would aid them.

The governor said neglect of the dam over the years has been a major challenge and that efforts will be made to remedy the situation. “We have to quantify the loss of lives that has happened as a result of this flooding because up till now, we have some areas that we can’t access, but the rescue mission is ongoing.

“Quite a number of persons were rescued, so this is the situation that we are in. We had a similar disaster 30 years ago although the extent is not up to this one, but I believe the dam requires reconstruction,” the governor said.

This came as the senator representing Borno South, Mohammed Ali Ndume, revealed that “most people trapped in their communities are still there because only boats are being used by the Nigerian military, other security agencies, and the state government to rescue people there”.

Ndume, who donated N50 million to the flood victims, asked the federal government to dredge communities affected by flooding to ease water flow so that trapped residents could be rescued.

In a statement in Abuja, the lawmaker said, “We need to help make sure that people do not continue to suffer. Some of them have been in their houses for the last six days. The federal government needs to conduct a survey, obtain dredging equipment, and excavate the Alau Dam’s discharge waterway so that the water can flow out; otherwise, the aftermath will be even more disastrous.

“Most submerged buildings are not strong, and if they remain in water, they will collapse. I am using this opportunity to move a motion, since we are on recess, for the federal government to intensify action to address the plight of the victims of the insurgency.”

He added, “The Alau Dam collapse is not just a Borno issue, but a national disaster. I have never seen this kind of overwhelming disaster. It will be a herculean task for this situation to return to normal in a couple of days and weeks. Most houses would not survive because they had been submerged, and the foundations had weakened.

“I am calling on all corporate Nigerians to rise and offer support because the government cannot do it alone. We need to make sure that people do not continue to suffer. Some of them have been in their houses for the last six days.”

Also, Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI), led by the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, called on the federal government to identify and publicise flood-prone zones to ensure citizen safety and enable preventive measures.

JNI Secretary-General Prof Khalid Abubakar Aliyu emphasised the need for proactive flood control mechanisms, early warning systems, and the reinforcement of dams, particularly those posing life-threatening risks.

The JNI expressed concern over the recurring flooding in Nigeria, urging a holistic approach to address the issue. The organisation commiserated with victims of recent floods, offering condolences and support.

Its statement highlighted the devastating impact of flooding in several states, including Maiduguri.  The JNI extended its sympathy to affected families and communities, praying for the victims and seeking Allah’s guidance and mercy.

The organisation also appealed for humanitarian support from well-meaning Nigerians and international organisations, emphasising the need for collective efforts to alleviate suffering and facilitate recovery.

The JNI encouraged donations, community-based support systems, and relief efforts and provided a bank account for cash donations to support Maiduguri flood victims.

Meanwhile, President Bola Tinubu arrived in Maiduguri yesterday to sympathise with the government and people of the state. He came at 3:40 p.m. and headed to one of the emergency camps to commiserate with the flood victims.

At the camp, Tinubu assured the displaced that his government would support them. “I want to assure you that we are going to support you; we will support you. God bless you,” he said.

The president’s entourage included the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, the Minister of Agriculture, Abubakar Kyari, and other aides. The Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, was at the Maiduguri Air Force Base to receive the President, having been in Maiduguri earlier in the day to inspect police facilities affected by the flood.

Also, Abdulrahman Abdulrazak, chairman of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum; Bala Mohammed, chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party Governors’ Forum; Ahmed Ododo, governor of Kogi State; and Ahmed Aliyu, governor of Sokoto State, were at the Air Force Base to receive the President.  Tinubu had recently returned to the country after his official visit to China and his short stay in the United Kingdom.

THE Kano State Government also extended a helping hand, donating N100 million to Borno State to support flood victims.  Presenting the donation to Governor Babagana Umara Zulum, Commissioner of Information Baba Halilu Dantiye expressed Kano State’s sympathy to the government and the people of Borno.

Kano State Government used the occasion to call for collective support to alleviate the suffering and loss in Borno State.  Relatedly, the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, expressed his sympathy to the government and people of Borno State during a visit.

The IGP, accompanied by DIG Bala Ciroma and DIG Ede Ayuba, Deputy Inspectors General of Police from the departments of Finance & Administration and Operations, and AIG Danladi Lalas, AIG Airwing, paid a sympathy visit to the Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum, at Government House.

The Governor of Bauchi, Bala Mohammed, and other dignitaries were also present to offer their condolences to the Borno State Government. Providing details of the visit, police spokesman ACP Muyiwa Adejobi said the IGP expressed his heartfelt sympathy to the governor on behalf of the entire police family in Nigeria while reaffirming the commitment of the police force to providing adequate security for the state’s residents.

“The IGP also promised to set in motion the machinery to repair the damaged police facilities in the affected communities.

“The Governor of Borno appreciated the IGP for his care and commitment to reforming the police force. He further commended the IGP for his sterling leadership in steering the police towards discharging its expected duties.

“The IGP later addressed officers and men of the command, emphasising professionalism and dedication to securing the good people of Borno State and their property, even at this trying time of the disaster that just wreaked havoc in the affected communities.”