Tinubu plans Disaster Relief Fund to battle flooding, others

In response to the catastrophic floods in the Northeast, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu took action less than twenty-four hours after returning from his overseas trip.

He went to Maiduguri, the capital of Borno State, which had been severely inundated, affecting nearly two million people and submerging a portion of the city.

Regarding natural disasters like the one that devastated Maiduguri, the President alluded to a desire to establish a disaster relief fund.

He proposed that the relief fund may consist of a modest portion of funds from the Federation Account and contributions from the business sector.

After touring some of the flooded districts and one of the 36 camps (Government Secondary School, Maiduguri), where the displaced people are housed, President Tinubu gave a speech.

He visited the Shehu of Borno, Alhaji Abubakar Ibn Umar Garba El-Kanemi, and then presented the request in the Borno Government House in Maiduguri.

"I've been thinking about how to deal with this kind of calamity and the implications of climate change ever since I visited the IDP camp and the Shehu of Borno.

"A fund for disaster aid is a need. I'll extend an invitation to business leaders to join us in rehabilitating the impacted areas.

"We will be activating and strengthening our sense of belonging if we take a small percentage from FAAC (Federation Account Allocation Committee) and put it as a disaster relief fund, which will include all of you," he was cited as saying in a statement released by Presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga.
Last week, Vice President Kashim Shettima announced that N108 billion had been disbursed by the President to the 36 states, with N3 billion going to each, to combat floods.

President Tinubu praised both the military's Theatre Command and Governor Zulum for their swift interventions that resulted in numerous lives being saved.

"I am happy that Prof. Zulum has been a very active governor," he remarked. I want to reassure you, Borno State, that we would support you and divide the load.

"This was a natural calamity. Nobody was responsible for its creation. We are unable to assign culpability.

We ask Allah Ta'ala to accept the dead people's souls and give them eternal rest.

"May God also pardon their transgressions and failings while they were on earth."

Governors Ahmad Aliyu (Sokoto), Ahmed Ododo (Kogi), Bala Mohammed (Bauchi), and Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq (Kwara) were also recognised by Tinubu for their willingness to step beyond party boundaries and shoulder the responsibilities of others.

According to him, Nigeria's variety should promote wealth.

"For all the people of Yobe State, I sympathise with you," the President said in expressing his sympathies to the administrations of other states, especially Yobe. We are going to design a fantastic program to help Nigeria move past this disaster. Together, we shall build our country, President Tinubu promised.

He praised every ministry, organisation, and security detail that helped with the catastrophe victims' evacuation.

Additionally, President Tinubu acknowledged the foreign entities operating within the states.

Accompanying the President, Senate President Godswill Akpabio declared that the National Assembly would work with the Executive to create the fund.

In addition to thanking the President for his visit, Zulum praised the military and the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) for their swift intervention.

After Shettima had earlier represented him, the governor of Borno, Abubakar Ibn Umar Garba El-Kanemi, congratulated the President for coming to the state.

Borno's Shehu pleaded with the President to look into the collapse of the Alua Dam, which resulted in the floods in Borno.

Governor of Bauchi State Bala Mohammed, together with other dignitaries, visited Maiduguri yesterday to express their condolences to the government and people of Borno.
Zulum informed Zubaida Umar, the Director-General of NEMA, who was in town, that the 36 camps established for the displaced victims would be gradually shut as the floods receded.

He called for NEMA management’s support in resetting the flood victims.
same objective of bringing succour to the people.

“The State Government and NEMA will take the lead while donors and development partners are to complement them,” Zulum said.
Umar was in the state to find any gaps that needed to be closed.

She declared: "Within the limits of our ability, we have been able to give food and non-food items, water, ambulances, tents, and other interventions.

"We remain a member of the search and rescue group."
The Jama'atu Nasril Islam (JNI), led by Sultan Muhammad Sa'ad Abubakar, demanded immediate humanitarian aid as well as preventative actions to avert such flood disasters.

It bemoaned the fact that devastating floods had devastated states like Bauchi, Gombe, Adamawa, Jigawa, and Kano before to the recent Borno tragedy.

In a statement, JNI Secretary-General Khalid Aliyu said, "The floods have claimed thousands of lives and left many more injured and displaced, while also causing widespread destruction in states such as Bauchi, Gombe, Adamawa, Jigawa, Kano, and several others."

The company sent their condolences to all impacted Emirates and the Shehu of Borno.

In addition to pleading for well-meaning Nigerians, philanthropists, and humanitarian groups to assist those impacted, it offered prayers for the victims and their families and encouraged them to use the Borno State Flood Disaster Relief Account with Zenith Bank, Account Number 1313556361.

In order to avoid such widespread devastation in the future, the Federal Government of Nigeria was also advised by the highest Islamic body in the region to strengthen its dams nationally and put in place flood control measures.

"For the safety of citizens, the government must prioritise the construction and reinforcement of life-threatening dams, establish early warning systems, and publicise flood-prone zones."

Ndume gives victims N50 million.

Mohammed Ali Ndume, the former chief whip of the Senate, gave N50 million to the victims of the Borno floods.

Ndume bemoaned the state of the victims and urged the Federal Government to establish makeshift feeding facilities for them.

He suggested that the federal government work with the state administration to create a larger feeding centre in order to prevent the humanitarian disaster brought on by an excessive number of people living in the IDP camps.

Zulum was praised by Ndume for setting up various camps for the displaced victims.

The legislator declared: "The collapse of the Alau Dam is a national disaster, not just a Borno problem." This kind of massive calamity is unlike anything I have ever witnessed.

"I believe that getting things back to normal in a few days or perhaps weeks will be an enormous effort.

Because their foundations have crumbled and they have been submerged, most houses would not survive.

I'm urging corporate Nigeria to stand up and lend a hand since the government can't accomplish this on its alone.

IGP directs that destroyed police facilities be rebuilt.

Kayode Egbetokun, the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), issued an order for the restoration of police buildings damaged by the flooding.

While in Maiduguri, Egbetokun urged police officers in Borno to continue being devoted to their work and acting in a professional manner.