Tinubu in Maiduguri, sympathizes with flood victims, promises to support them

AHMED MARI,  Maiduguri and IGNATIUS OKOROCHA, Abuja

 

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu announced a disaster relief fund Monday in Maiduguri, Borno State, to assist Nigerian citizens impacted by floods and other disasters.

He said the relief fund is already expedient as the climate becomes more unpredictable and many places in the country are vulnerable to its vagaries.

Tinubu announced this at the Borno Government House when he visited the state to sympathise with the government and people over the recent flooding from Alau Dam.

He urged the private sector to contribute to the fund.

Senate president Godswill Akpabio, who accompanied the President on the visit, said the National Assembly will collaborate with the executive to establish the Fund.

Tinubu visited the Shehu of Borno, an Internally Displaced Persons camp at the Government Secondary School in Maiduguri and had a drive-through of the areas affected by the disaster.

He said: “After my visit to the Shehu of Borno and the IDP camp, I have been reflecting on how to tackle this kind of disaster and the effects of climate change.

“There must be a disaster relief fund. I will invite the private sector to team up with us and help rebuild the affected areas.

“If we take a small percentage from FAAC and put it as disaster relief fund, which will include all of you, we will be activating and strengthening our sense of belonging,” he said.

The President thanked Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq of Kwara State, who is also Chairman of the Nigeria Governors Forum, Bauchi State governor Bala Mohammed, Sokoto State Governor Ahmad Aliyu; and Kogi State governor Ahmed Usman Ododo; and other governors who look beyond party lines to bear the burdens of others.

He said that Nigeria’s diversity should spur prosperity.

The President extended his sympathy to the government, the people of Yobe State, and all the states affected by flooding and pledged his government’s continued support for victims of natural disasters.

“For all the people of Yobe State, I sympathise with you. We will create an outstanding programme for Nigeria to recover from this calamity. We will build our nation together,” the President assured.

He commended the Governor of Borno State, Professor Babagana Zulum, for prompt intervention and the Theatre Command of the Nigerian military for the evacuation that saved many lives.

“I am glad that Prof. Zulum has been a very active governor. Let me assure you that we will be with you, Borno State and share the burden.

“This disaster was a natural one. It was not the making of anybody. We cannot pass the blame. We pray that the Almighty Allah will receive the souls of the departed and grant them eternal rest.

“May God also overlook their shortcomings and misdeeds on earth,” he added.

Tinubu commended all the ministries, agencies, and security outfits, particularly the military, involved in evacuation and relief and recognised the international organisations working in the state.

Zulum thanked the President for the visit and commended the prompt intervention of Federal Government agencies, particularly NEMA and the military’s Theatre Command, in evacuating stranded victims.

At the palace, the Shehu of Borno, Abubakar Ibn Umar Garba El-Kanemi, thanked the President for the honour of visiting the state after the Vice President, Sen. Kashim Shettima, had earlier represented him.

The Shehu of Borno urged the President to investigate the cause of the Alua dam collapse and overflow into the town to prevent a recurrence according to a statement by Bayo Onanuga,

Special Adviser to the President (Information & Strategy)

Meanwhile. Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi state on Monday led a delegation to commiserate with Governor Zulum over the recent flood disaster that has displaced many people, while  several others were killed and property worth billions of naira destroyed.

While sympathizing with the Governor, Mohammed, announced the highest donation of N250 million, in addition to the deployment of Bauchi State Emergency Management Agency (BASEMA) officials who are currently cooking and serving food to over 10,000 victims in some camps on daily basis, pending when the situation improves.

Also, The Inspector General of Police, Mr. Kayode Egbetokun led Police Commissioners in the North East states and other Police Officers where they sympathized with the Government and the people of the state over the unfortunate incident.

During the visit, the Bauchi state governor said, “We are here to commiserate with Your Excellency and the good people of Borno state over the monumental flood disaster.

“On behalf of the Government and the good people of Bauchi state, we are donating N250 million to cushion the current hardship of the victims. This is in addition to the BASEMA team I sent who are currently feeding over 10,000 displaced victims on a daily basis,” he said.

“We pray Allah to grant Aljannatul Firdaus to souls of those who lost their lives, and to forestall future occurrence of such disaster.”, he added.

Responding Governor Zulum appreciated the Bauchi State Government delegation for not only finding time to visit Maiduguri, but to also giving the highest donation so far.

Also in his remarks, the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun said, “We are here in Maiduguri to use one stone and kill two birds, first, is to commiserate with you and the people of Borno over the flood disaster, and secondly to inform you that we are here to assist the Borno State Government in the rebuilding process, as four police formations and barracks were submerged.

“We want to assure you that the Police under my leadership will complement the efforts of the state government to rebuild these Police formations and also assist the victims. We equally thank you for the support your government has been rendering to the police in tackling the insecurity bedeviling the state for over a decade”. IGP said.

Governor Zulum appreciated the efforts of the Borno State Police Command under the leadership of CP Umar Yusuf for maintaining law and order, especially synergizing with the military and other stakeholders in the ongoing rescue operations.

Also, the Governors of Kogi and Sokoto, Usman Ododo and Dr. Ahmad Aliyu also paid visits to the Government House Maiduguri where they all extended their sympathies.

Similarly, former leader of the Senate, Mohammed Ali Ndume, has gifted N50 million to victims of last week’s flooding in Maiduguri, Borno State capital, as part of moves to cushion their pains.

This is even as leaders and other stakeholders from Southern Borno, have initiated moves to raise funds for the victims.

Ndume, while lamenting the plight of the victims, called on the federal government to consider the flood disaster a national issue and create emergency feeding centres for the victims.

The senator, who commended Borno State Governor Babagana Zulum for creating over 25 camps for the victims, said the Ramat Square in Maiduguri would be a good place for such, adding that emergency feeding is standard practice worldwide in times of emergency such as flooding.

He said to avert the humanitarian crisis resulting from a high level of displacement of citizens who are still surging the IDP camps, the federal government should proactively collaborate with the state government and make food available by opening up a bigger feeding centre by contracting volunteers.

The senator, who noted that nobody would understand the magnitude of the destruction done by the flood to the lives and property of citizens until the person moves around the affected areas, said the destruction is more than the state government alone cannot handle.

He solicited for the support of wealthy Nigerians, NGOs and good-spirited citizens to support the Borno State government in addressing the destruction caused by the flood in Maiduguri and its environs

The Borno South lawmaker further urged the federal government to open makeshift medical centres that will cater to the health needs of victims in the interim.

He noted that such an urgent intervention will help affected residents who are currently camped in IDP centres in Maiduguri.

He said: “The Alau Dam collapse is not just a Borno issue, but a national disaster. I have never seen this kind of overwhelming disaster. I think it will be a herculean task in a couple of days and even weeks for this situation to return to normal. Most houses would not survive because they had been submerged, and the foundations had weakened.

“I am calling on all Corporate Nigerians to rise up and support because the government can not do it alone. We really need to help make sure that people do not continue to suffer. Some of them have been in their houses for the last six days.

“What the federal government needs to do is to come and do the survey and get dredging equipment and get to the discharge of the Alau Dam and try to excavate the water way out so that the water can flow and go otherwise the aftermath will be more disastrous.

“Most buildings that were submerged are not strong, and if they continue to stay in water, they will collapse. Most people trapped in their communities are still there because it is only boats that the Nigerian military, other security agencies, and the state government are using to rescue people there.

“I am using this opportunity to move a motion since we are on recess for the federal government to intensify action against the plight of the victims of the insurgency.”

 

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