Evacuation of dead bodies and thousands of families trapped in the Maiduguri flooded areas has started with the military, volunteers and other security agencies evacuating the victims to safer areas.
This is even the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, toured through the Customs area where the broken prison is located. The Minister also used the occasion of the visit tour most the affected areas in Maiduguri following the heavy flooding.
According to reports, dead bodies were also being evacuated and trapped persons were also being evacuated by the military, security agencies and civilian volunteers.
“Although some flooded areas of Maiduguri have receded, badly affected areas like Gamboru Market, Kasuwan Shanu, Custom Area, Fori, and Abbaganaram are actively flooded.
“The premises of the Nigerian Correctional Centre is still being flooded. While public infrastructure, amenities, shops and vehicles are completely submerged by the flood.
“Women, children and vulnerable persons are mostly those trapped and being evacuated.
CHANNELS TV reports that in the entourage of the Minister, were the Controller-Generals of Immigration, Correctional Service and the Secretary of Civil Defence, Correctional, Fire and Immigration Services Board.
Several aerial videos and photos shared by the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) with AFP showed rows of houses submerged in murky water.
Maiduguri, has remained in the news for the activities of bandits and Boko Haram.
The United Nations refugee agency in Nigeria (UNHCR) on its X account said this year’s flooding in the city as the worst flooding in 30 years.
“It is an unprecedented incident,” NEMA spokesman Ezekiel Manzo told AFP on Tuesday.
“Some of the central parts of the city that have not witnessed flood in so many years are witnessing it today.”
“Thousands of homes have been submerged by the rapid rise of waters. This was after the rupture of the Alau Dam on the Ngadda River. The Dam is located 20 kilometres (12 miles) south of Maiduguri.
“The last three days have over 150,000 individuals with over 23,000 households affected,” said NEMA zonal coordinator Surajo Garba.
But with more locations being hit, “we are sure the figure will be much over 200,000 individuals,” Garba forecast.
“The flood, which began over the weekend, worsened in the following days. It was the direct result of excess water from the Alau Dam,” said Nigeria’s Vice-President Kashim Shettima.
The Vice President has visited the troubled Maiduguri.
Speaking on the natural disaster, Shettima said, “The collapse of the spillways unleashed a significant surge of water downstream. Causing widespread flooding in the surrounding communities.”
The flood also inundated most facilities that included post office, the Correctional Centre and the main Zoo. The authorities of Zoo have warned that “deadly animals have been washed away into our communities (sic).”
The World Health Organization, WHO has raised the alarm on the out break of water borne diseases in the area. This even as dead animals are littered the environment.
source: Channels TV
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