By Gloria Ikibah
The Director General of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Zubaida Umar, has ordered the deployment of additional personnel and resources to support the ongoing search and rescue efforts in Maiduguri, where residents have been trapped by severe flooding.
Following a rapid assessment of the situation, NEMA has also raised concerns about the risk of waterborne diseases due to the contamination of household water by the flood.
To mitigate this, the agency has been supplying clean water to displaced residents, using water tankers to serve temporary shelters, including Bakassi camp.
Since the flooding began last weekend due to heavy rainfall and the overflow of Alau Dam, NEMA’s North East zonal office, in collaboration with the Borno State Emergency Management Agency and other stakeholders, has been actively involved in rescue operations and assessing the situation to provide appropriate assistance.
Vice President Kashim Shettima led a high-level Federal Government delegation, including the DG of NEMA, to Maiduguri to assess the situation firsthand and sympathize with the people and government of Borno State.
During his visit to Bakassi camp, where displaced residents are sheltered, the Vice President reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to supporting the affected individuals and ensuring recovery efforts are thorough. The delegation also visited the Shehu of Borno, Alhaji Abubakar Ibn Umar Garba Al Amin El-Kanemi, where the Vice President praised NEMA, other agencies, and volunteers for their efforts in providing relief to those affected by the floods.
