UAE Sends Relief Aid to Flood-Hit Borno State

The United Arab Emirates, UAE has dispatched an aircraft carrying 50 tonnes of food supplies to Nigeria to support victims of the recent floods in Maiduguri, Borno State.

The relief aid, which arrived in Maiduguri, Borno State, is part of the UAE’s efforts to provide urgent assistance to those affected by the devastating floods that have ravaged several parts of Nigeria.

It was gathered from the video shared that the food supplies, weighing 50 tonnes, are expected to provide essential sustenance to thousands of displaced persons and families impacted by the floods.

On Monday, President Bola Tinubu also visited the emergency camps set up and assured them of assistance while announcing an immediate establishment of a Disaster Relief Fund with an initial seed capital from the Federal government to aid in alleviating the impact of this catastrophe.

While expressing his gratitude to the Government of Borno State led by Prof. Baba Gana Zulum, the President urged the private sector to match or even exceed the Federal Government’s commitment to this fund and appealed for increased global collaboration from international partners.

The United Nations Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria, Mohammed Fall, announced on Monday a $6 million allocation from the Nigeria Humanitarian Fund to support flood victims in Borno. This allocation comes in response to the collapse of the Alau Dam. Additionally, UN agencies and partners are providing emergency aid, including food, water, sanitation services, and shelter.

The World Food Programme (WFP) has also set up soup kitchens to deliver hot meals to the displaced.

Meanwhile, the recent catastrophic flood in Maiduguri was primarily caused by the collapse of the Alau Dam, which overflowed due to heavy rainfall. The dam, built in 1983, has a storage capacity of 106 million cubic meters.