UNITED NATIONS, Sep 13 (IPS) – On Monday, the Alau Dam in Maiduguri, Borno State, collapsed, causing floods to ravage neighboring regions in Nigeria. This comes after weeks of heavy rain, which caused major damage to the structure of the dam. These floods changed the lives of thousands of people and caused major damage to infrastructure. The impact of the recent floods is compounded by Nigeria’s already existing humanitarian crisis, which includes conflict, widespread malnutrition, and a failing economy.
Ali Ndume, representative of Borno South, emphasized the magnitude of the damage, saying, “Houses, institutions, government offices and other businesses are submerged in water. Many people are trapped and trying to get out. I am worried that the situation could worsen unless the Federal Government intervenes immediately to help the country’s government in rescuing this situation.”
According to reports by the International Organization for Migration (IOM), about 40 percent of Maiduguri is covered by high water, and more than 240,000 people have been affected in total. Water damage has led to the collapse of several critical infrastructures in Nigeria, including bridges, roads, power systems, health facilities and schools.
The local coordinator of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Surajo Garba, told the media that about 23,000 residences were submerged under water.
The number of people who died in these floods is not known as the authorities are struggling to evacuate people who were trapped in the buildings. Ezekiel Manzo, NEMA spokesperson, estimated that at least 30 people were killed.
Ali Abacha Don Best, the general manager of Sanda Kyarimi Zoo, told the media that 80 percent of the zoo’s animals were killed by the floods. He added that many dangerous animals, such as crocodiles and snakes, have been washed away into residential areas, urging residents to remain vigilant.
In addition, the high water damaged a lot of farms, about 110,000 hectares, according to NEMA. This is exacerbating the problem of hunger that already exists in Nigeria.
“Some of the areas affected by the floods in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe are facing a food and nutrition crisis affecting 4.8 million people and putting the lives of 230,000 children at risk of malnutrition,” said Stéphane Dujarric, spokesperson for the Secretary-General. , at a United Nations (UN) press conference on Wednesday.
The impact on the Nigerian economy has been huge. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), agriculture contributes to about 22.35 percent of Nigeria’s gross domestic product, employing more than 70 percent of all Nigerians.
The effects of these floods add to Nigeria’s ongoing war, caused by the violence of Boko Haram, which has left around 35,000 people injured and more than 2.6 million displaced.
Yobe State, a neighboring state to Borno, has been devastated by severe floods and deadly terrorist attacks in the past two weeks. Dungus Abdulkarim, Yobe police spokesperson said that at the beginning of September, about 50 extremists rode motorcycles into Yobe, opened fire on markets and houses before burning them down, and said that at least 100 people were injured. Many residents are still missing.
Retaliatory conflicts in the northeastern states were rampant. These flood-ravaged areas are the most vulnerable. The police are spread out physically, facing the influx of needy people. Protection is a major concern as many children and people with disabilities are left unattended.
The UN, the World Food Program (WFP), and other related humanitarian organizations have been on the scene of the crisis, providing aid and food. It is imperative that donors contribute financially to relief efforts as Nigeria’s $927 million Humanitarian Response Program is only 46 percent funded.
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