The night of September 10, 2024, at midnight was a sleepless and tragic one for the people of Maiduguri metropolis, as flooding ravaged almost the entire capital of Borno State. The floodwaters are still spreading throughout the state, leaving the people in a terrible and dreadful situation. This has resulted in the unidentified loss of lives and widespread property damage.
The people of Maiduguri have faced numerous dire and critical situations over the past two decades. This includes the Boko Haram crisis, which began in 2009, and, shortly after recovering from the insurgency, the central market of Maiduguri was ravaged by a devastating fire in 2023, resulting in the loss of a substantial amount of money.
It is imperative to consider how we can assist the beleaguered people of Borno State, particularly in this current grave and desperate situation, where numerous individuals have been displaced and are now residing in Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps. Undoubtedly, the people of Maiduguri are in urgent need of assistance and support to ease their suffering.
However, the critical question is: who can provide the necessary assistance? The federal government needs to provide essential support to the people of Maiduguri to alleviate their suffering. Specifically, the federal government should establish a committee to investigate and identify individuals who have lost their homes and properties, with the aim of providing them with financial support.
Before forming a committee, the President should direct the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs to quickly deploy to Maiduguri with emergency relief materials, including shelters, food items, and clothing, to distribute to the individuals in the IDP camps. This will enable them to access basic necessities, such as food and clothing, before they can be reunited with their homes.
Furthermore, this responsibility does not lie solely with the federal government. The Governors’ Forum should also convene an emergency meeting to provide tangible support to their colleague, Governor Babagana Umara, in mitigating this situation, rather than merely sending a sympathy message. This will foster a mutually beneficial relationship among state governments in the country, whereby governors personally provide support to their colleagues in critical situations, thereby demonstrating solidarity and cooperation among the 36 states of the federation.
In addition to addressing this disheartening situation, the people of Maiduguri need support from Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) to save human lives. It is imperative that these organizations provide their assistance to alleviate the suffering of those affected by the flooding.
The citizens must also play a crucial role in supporting their affected brothers and sisters, thereby assisting the government in alleviating the tense situation. To this end, we must remember that all hands must be on deck to address these issues with love, care, and compassion.
Sale Rusulana Yanguruza*
Department of Mass Communication
Borno State University
salesaifullahi931@gmail.com
