The UN Donates $6 Million to Support Borno Flood Victims

After the catastrophic collapse of Alau Dam in Borno state, the United Nations Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria, Mohammed Fall, announced a significant allocation of $6 million from the Nigeria Humanitarian Fund to assist flood victims in Borno State.

During a recent briefing in New York, UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric reported that a joint mission involving UN agencies, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and the Nigeria Red Cross Society had visited Maiduguri over the weekend.

The initiative is projected to assess the situation and meet with those affected by the flooding, many of whom had already faced displacement due to ongoing conflict and insecurity in the region.

Dujarric emphasized that humanitarian partners are actively providing essential support, including hot meals and air drops of food to isolated areas cut off by floodwaters.

They are also trucking in water and offering water, sanitation, and hygiene services, along with hygiene kits for women and girls. Emergency health and shelter services are being prioritized as well.

Emmanuel Bigenimana, head of the World Food Programme (WFP) office in Maiduguri, conducted an aerial assessment of the damage using a UN Humanitarian Air Service helicopter.

He reported that extensive flooding has submerged homes, infrastructure, roads, schools, and hospitals. Bigenimana noted that over 200,000 to 300,000 people are currently displaced and crowded into Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps or living on the streets.

The WFP has established soup kitchens in three IDP camps—Teachers’ Village, Asheikh, and Yerwa—to provide nutritious meals to approximately 50,000 individuals severely affected by the disaster.

Bigenimana highlighted that this flooding adds another layer of hardship to a region already grappling with a decade-long conflict.

Borno State has been one of the most severely impacted areas by the Boko Haram insurgency. The UN previously indicated that while some control has been regained over the situation, challenges persist.