The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) has released $1.9 million (N17.5 billion) to support people affected by flooding in various states across Nigeria.

According to the organisation, the recent flood in Maiduguri killed 50 persons and destroyed property, including 5,000 hectares of farmlands.

IOM Nigeria Chief of Mission ad interim, Paola Pace, in a statement yesterday in Maiduguri, disclosed: “The funding will enable local and international non-governmental organisations to provide emergency humanitarian assistance to over 180,000 people in Borno, Benue, Adamawa and Yobe states.”

She continued: “The dramatic flooding we’re witnessing this year has devastated countless communities, displaced families and disrupted their lives and means of livelihoods.”

Pace noted that the priority of IOM was to ensure immediate relief and support are provided to those affected, by ensuring that they have access to essential services.

“Resources are needed to rebuild their lives,” she said.

BESIDES, Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno State has resettled over 2,500 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in 500 completed houses in the liberated Konduga community.

Members of the 424 households were displaced from 10 villages of Sambisa Forest and have been living in the Konduga IDP camp for over a decade.

Allocating the houses to the returnees, yesterday, the governor said the event marks the beginning of closing the over-a-decade IDP camp by the state government.

He also lamented the Boko Haram’s sacking of people from their communities, depriving them of livelihoods and farming activities in the local government area.

On the Aulari housing estate, the governor said: “The state government has placed an order of N100 million blocks of concrete for the construction of 500 houses in the Aulari community.”