Senator representing Southern Borno Senatorial District at the National Assembly, Sen. Ali Ndume has called on the federal government to consider the Alau Dam flood disaster that has displaced more than one million Maiduguri as a national issue and create emergency feeding centres for the victims.
The Senator who commended Borno State Governor, Professor Babagana Zulum for creating over 25 camps for the victims, said the Ramat Square in Maiduguri would be a good place for such, adding that creation of emergency feeding is standard practice worldwide in time of an emergency as flooding.
Ndume said this on Sunday in Maiduguri after further touring round with Governor Zulum in assessment of the victims of the disaster camped at different areas of the state capital.
In order to avert humanitarian crisis resulting from high level of displacement of citizens who are still surging the IDPs camp as more victims that were trapped are rescued, Ndume said the federal government should proactively collaborate with the state government and make food available by opening up a bigger feeding centre by contracting volunteers to cook food.
The Senator who noted that nobody would understand the magnitude of destruction done by the flood to lives and property of citizens except visiting the affected areas, said the destruction is much than what the state government alone can handle.
He solicited the support of Corporate Nigerians, non-governmental organisations and good spirited Nigerians to support the state government to address the destruction caused by the flood in Maiduguri and its environs.
“The Alau Dam collapse is not just Borno issue, but a national disaster. I have never seen this kind of overwhelming disaster. I think it is going to be a herculean task in the couple of days and even weeks for this situation to go back to normal. Most of the houses would not survive because they had been submerged and the foundations had weakened.
“I am calling on all Corporate Nigerians to rise up and support because the government cannot do it alone. We really need to help make sure that people do not continue to suffer. Some of them have been in their houses for the last six days.
“What the federal government need to do is to come and do survey and get dredging equipment and get to the discharging of the Alau Dam and try to excavate the water way out so that the water can flow and go, otherwise the aftermath will be more disastrous.
“Most buildings that were submerged are not strong and if they continue to stay in water, they will collapse. Most people trapped in their communities are still there, because it is only boats that the Nigerian military, other security agencies and the state government are using to rescue people there. I am using this opportunity to move a motion since we are on recess for the federal government to intensify action against the plight of the victims of the insurgency,” Ndume said.
Meanwhile, prominent sons and elders of Borno State have been urged to support Governor Zulum in this trying time in view of magnitude of the flood disaster which they noted is not the type the Governor should be abandoned to handle alone.
One of them, Mohammed Usman expressed surprise that even the Shehu of Borno, Alhaji Abubakar Ibn Umar Garbai was left alone in his palace in the midst of the flood which also took over his palace.