Maiduguri Flooding: Who can help? By hafizat saleh ja'afar.

FG , NGOs, Governors, Wealthy individuals Please act.

The night of September 10, 2024, at 12 Midnight ,was a sleepless and tragic one for the people of Maiduguri metropolis, as the outbreak of flooding ravaged almost the entire capital of  Borno state. The flooding is currently circulating throughout the state, leaving the people in a terrible and dreadful situation.This has resulted unidentified lost of lives and properties damaged in the state.

The people of Maiduguri have rarely experienced numerous dire and critical situations over the past two decades. This includes the Boko Haram crisis, which began in 2009, and, shortly after the recovery from the insurgency, the central market of Maiduguri was ravaged by a devastating fire in 2023, resulting in the loss of a substantial amount of money. 

It is imperative to consider how we can assist the beleaguered people of Borno State, particularly in this current grave and desperate situation, where numerous individuals have been displaced and are now residing in Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camps.Undoubtdely people of Maiduguri are indeed in need of urgent assistance and support to ease thier sufferings.

However, the critical question about  the situation is ,who can provide the necessary assistance? the federal government is in needs to provide essential arrangements and support to the people of Maiduguri to alleviate their suffering in this situation. Specifically, the federal government should set committee to investigate and identify individuals who have lost their homes and properties, with the aim of providing them with financial support. 

Before constituting a committee, the President should direct the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs to quickly deploy to Maiduguri with emergency relief materials, including shelters ,food items and clothing, to distribute to the individuals in the Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps. This will enable them to access basic necessities, such as food and clothing, before they can be reunite to their homes.

Furthermore, this responsibility does not lie solely with the federal government. The Governors Forum should also convene an emergency meeting to provide tangible support to their colleague, Governor Babagana Umara in mitigating this situation, rather than merely sending a sympathy message. This will foster a mutually beneficial relationship among state governments in the country, whereby governors personally provide support to their colleagues in critical situations, thereby demonstrating solidarity and cooperation among the 36 State of the federation.

In addition to address this disheartening situation, the people of Maiduguri are in needs of  support from  Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) to save human lives. It is imperative and paramount these organisations to provide their assistance to alleviate the suffering of those affected from outbreak of flooding .

The citizens must also play a crucial role in supporting their affected brothers and sisters, thereby assisting the government in alleviating the tense situation. To this end, we must remember that all hands must be on deck to address these issues with love, care, and compassion.

10th , September,2024.