ICRC evacuates 117 people from four medical facilities in Maiduguri

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said it evacuated 117 people from four medical facilities in Borno State, which were affected by rising waters.

ICRC spokesperson Aliyu Dawobe disclosed this in a statement yesterday.

He said the organisation also donated 150 body bags to Nigerian Red Cross Society (NRCS) volunteers, the State Specialist Hospital, and the State Emergency Management Agency.

“Alau Dam breached its banks in the early hours of September 10, causing flooding in Maiduguri,” Dawobe said. “Prior to the incident, heavy rainfall flooded many areas in the state, affecting road access. More than 414,000 people have been affected, with many houses and crops destroyed. There is real concern for the civilian population already affected by the ongoing protracted conflict.”

According to Dawobe, the NRCS volunteers and staff have been involved in search and rescue operations, medical evacuations, and first aid in coordination with the ICRC. They have also been reuniting families separated by floodwaters and ensuring the safe and dignified management of dead bodies.

“Their teams have retrieved 22 dead bodies to date, while 76 children have been reunited with their families,” he said.