The Heads of United Nations (UN) agencies in Nigeria, alongside the country directors from non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and the Nigeria Red Cross Society, have visited Maiduguri, Borno State capital, to show support and solidarity to the victims of the flood that devastated the state in recent days.
United Nations Information Office (UNIC), Oluseyi Soremekun in a statement issued on Sunday said the delegation was led by the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria, Mohamed Malick Fall.
He said the UN Country team announced the allocation of $6 million from the Nigeria Humanitarian Fund, with more funding in the pipeline bringing the total contribution to more than $8 million.
The severe flash flooding in Maiduguri during the night of September 9 caused by the collapse of the Alau Dam killed several people and displaced tens of thousands of people in one of the worst flood disasters that hit the state.
Some 300,000 people have been registered by the Emergency Operations Centre of the Borno State Government in relocation sites, mainly in Maiduguri Metropolitan Council (MMC), Jere and Konduga local government areas of the State.
Drawing on existing resources, and in support of Government efforts, the UN in Nigeria and partners are responding by providing meals, facilitating food air drops in hard-to-reach areas cut off by flood waters, providing water and sanitation hygiene services, as well as water purification tablets to stem outbreaks of diseases.
Governor Babagana Zulum, expressed appreciation to the UN and NGO partners for the humanitarian aid to the affected people, noting that the government priority is to rebuild the lives of affected people and to ensure that the displaced population does not stay for more than two weeks in the temporary shelters provided.