The Borno State Government has commenced the distribution of relief materials to victims of the recent Maiduguri flood, which affected nearly two million people, starting with 5,238 households in the capital city.
Governor Babagana Zulum officially launched the relief effort on Tuesday in Maiduguri, stating that the distribution will begin in Gwange 1 of the Maiduguri Metropolitan Council, according to a report by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
He disclosed that 587 households had their homes completely destroyed, 2,283 experienced partial damage, and 2,365 sustained minimal damage.
“The governor, while launching the programme in Maiduguri, said that the relief materials’ distribution would begin with about 5,238 households in Gwange 1, Maiduguri Metropolitan Council.
“According to Zulum, 587 of these households saw their homes completely destroyed, while 2,365 suffered minimal damage and 2,283 were partially affected,” the NAN report read.
The governor noted that households with minimal damage will receive N100,000 in cash alongside essential supplies such as rice, beans, mats, blankets, and mosquito nets, while those with severe losses will be compensated based on the extent of the destruction.
What you should know
Maiduguri recently experienced its most severe flooding since 1994, leaving residents of Borno on high alert as rising waters submerged numerous homes.
The disaster, triggered by an overflow from the Alau Dam, caused extensive damage to homes and critical infrastructure.
In the aftermath, there has been a wave of donations from individuals and corporate organizations to support the flood victims.
According to the latest reports from the state government, N13.1 billion has been pledged to aid recovery efforts.
These pledges have come from corporate entities, state governments, legislators, and various NGOs.
Notable contributions include N2 billion from Aliko Dangote, N1.5 billion from Aminu Dantata, and N1 billion from Mohammed Indimi. Oluremi Tinubu donated N500 million, while Dahiru Mangal, Atiku Abubakar, and Ali Modu Sheriff each contributed N100 million.
Other donations include N100 million from Rep. Mukhtar Betara, Abdulsalam Kachala, and several others, with Peter Obi and Rabiu Kwankwaso each contributing N50 million.
Ahmed Lawan, Mohammad Maifata, Ibrahim Umar, Mohammad Imam, Ali Dalori, Sen. Tahir Monguno, and Sen. Kaka Shehu also donated N50 million each.
However, during a recent briefing, the Commissioner for Information and Internal Security, Prof. Usman Tar, revealed that the state government has only received N4.4 billion of the N13.1 billion pledged so far, representing 33.59% of the total donations. This leaves a significant gap in the funds needed to fully address the devastation caused by the flood.
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