The United Nations has announced a $6 million commitment to help victims of the Maiduguri disaster in Borno state.
According to a statement issued on Tuesday by Nigeria’s Humanitarian Coordinator, Mohammed Fall, a joint team comprised of UN agencies, NGOs, and the Nigeria Red Cross Society visited the main city of Maiduguri over the weekend.
According to him, the team visited with those affected, many of whom had already been displaced numerous times due to conflict and insecurity in the area.
The flood was caused by an overflow at the Alau Dam, which is located just over 10 miles south of Maiduguri.
“We and our partners are providing them with hot meals, we are facilitating air drops of food in hard-to-reach areas cut off by flood waters, and we are also trucking in water.
“We are also providing water and sanitation hygiene services and water purification tablets to stem disease outbreaks.
“This is in addition to supplying hygiene and dignity kits to women and girls, as well as emergency health and shelter services.”
Dujarric said the staff of the UN Office of the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs were also working closely with donors to secure additional funding.
Flooding has damaged more than 125,000 hectares of farmland in Nigeria.
