More than one million people have been displaced by severe floods in Maiduguri, the capital of Borno State, Governor Babagana Zulum confirmed on Wednesday.
During a visit to the Bakassi Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camp along Biu-Damboa road, Governor Zulum provided cash assistance to those affected and announced plans to supply food and other essential items.
He noted that vendors had been contracted to provide meals for the displaced persons within the camp.The governor also disclosed that the state received a ₦3 billion flood intervention fund from the Federal Government to address the crisis.
As part of the response, a health committee will be set up to monitor and control potential disease outbreaks among the affected communities.Governor Zulum said search and rescue operations are underway to assess the impact on lives, while data collection of the affected persons will begin immediately.
He attributed the flooding to unusually heavy terrestrial rainfall this year and blamed the overflow of the Alo Dam, worsened by the release of water from dams in Cameroon. He noted that urban development had blocked natural water channels in the state capital, exacerbating the flooding.
As part of the long-term response, Zulum announced plans to reconstruct the Alo Dam to handle a larger water volume and to demolish structures built on flood-prone and riverine areas to prevent future occurrences.
