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UN Pledges Urgent Aid For Borno Flood Victims
Following the catastrophic floods that displaced thousands in Maiduguri, Borno State, the United Nations, along with various humanitarian organizations, has committed to delivering immediate relief to the affected communities.
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EKO HOT BLOG reports that in a statement released on Sunday by Oluseyi Soremekun, National Information Officer of the UN Information Centre, the UN reaffirmed its commitment to providing urgent assistance to those impacted by the disaster.
The floods, which began on September 9, worsened an already dire humanitarian crisis, leaving thousands without shelter. According to the Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Engineer Joseph Utsev, the flooding was caused by the overflow of the Ngadda River, not the collapse of the Alau Dam as previously suspected.
A high-level delegation, led by UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria, Mohamed Fall, visited Maiduguri on Saturday. They met with local officials, residents, and Borno State Governor, Professor Babagana Zulum, to assess the damage and coordinate relief efforts.
“The flood-affected people are facing a crisis within a crisis, as these floods occurred during a severe food insecurity and malnutrition crisis,” Fall noted, describing the destruction of homes, businesses, and critical infrastructure.
Thousands of displaced individuals have sought refuge in overcrowded shelters, with limited access to food, clean water, and proper sanitation. During the visit, UN officials inspected two of the 25 relocation sites, including Asheik Jarma Primary School and Yerwa GGSS, where flood victims have been housed.
The floods have also decimated agriculture, with over 125,000 hectares of farmland destroyed nationwide just ahead of the harvest season. Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe states have been particularly hard hit, with 4.8 million people facing severe food shortages and 230,000 children at risk of acute malnutrition.
To address the escalating crisis, the UN has launched emergency aid efforts, including airlifting food, trucking clean water, and distributing hygiene kits to prevent disease outbreaks. Fall announced an initial allocation of $6 million from the Nigeria Humanitarian Fund, with the total expected to rise to over $8 million.
UN Borno Flood Victims
Governor Zulum expressed deep gratitude for the international assistance, emphasizing the need for swift rebuilding efforts to ensure that temporary shelters do not house displaced people for more than two weeks.
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Despite ongoing efforts, only 46 percent of the $927 million required for Nigeria’s Humanitarian Response Plan has been secured, and the UN continues to call for additional resources as floods affect other states like Bauchi, Enugu, and Bayelsa.
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