Residents of Maiduguri Alarmed Over Costly Canoe Rides After Floods

Zulum summons UN workers, others for better coordination

Warns against indiscriminate opening of IDP camps

Summary: Residents of Maiduguri, Borno State, have expressed concern over the high cost of canoe rides following recent flooding in the area. Canoe owners, who initially volunteered to help move residents to safety, are now charging exorbitant fees. With vehicles unable to navigate flooded areas, residents are left with no choice but to rely on canoes, leading to exploitation by some operators. Governor Zulum has called for better coordination among United Nations workers and development partners to address the flood impact in Maiduguri. He also cautioned against haphazard opening of IDP camps. In a separate incident, a community in Kwara State has been devastated by floods, causing displacement and loss of property. Governor AbdulRazaq has promised support for the affected victims.

By Demola Akinyemi & Ndahi Marama

Residents of Maiduguri, Borno State, have raised the alarm over the high cost of canoe rides, lamenting that operators were now ripping them off. Recall that when floods swept through the city of Maiduguri last week, canoe owners volunteered to help move residents to safety. But residents say they are now being ripped off by the canoe owners charging steep fees to move their belongings. With vehicles unable to move in many parts of Maiduguri, residents are relying on canoes. Falmata Muhammed, a 48-year-old mother of three said she decided to move some furniture this week but was shocked when a canoe owner charged her N80,000 for a short trip, more than the monthly minimum wage. After losing almost everything to floods, she was upset that “Some are making it a big business, using the disaster to make a huge amount of money.” Fisherman and canoe owner, Mohammed Yusuf said he still moved residents for free but that some residents offered money to use his canoe. Meanwhile, Governor Babagana Zulum has held an emergency meeting with United Nations Humanitarian Workers and other development partners on how to work collectively in addressing the impact of the devastating flood that has ravaged about 70 percent of Maiduguri, the state capital. This came as he warned against indiscriminate opening of Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs, camps, especially in the already closed public schools without the permission of the state government. Zulum while welcoming the leader of the UN delegation, UN OCHA Deputy National Humanitarian Coordinator, Esty Sutyoke, said: “Now that we have succeeded in the rescue mission, and as the water recedes, we must collaborate together to avoid duplication of efforts in the affected communities.” Among others, the governor said: “We need UN assistance in rebuilding the destroyed houses, hospitals, schools and critical infrastructures. We want to use this opportunity to thank UN, all stakeholders and individuals that have been assisted us in one way or the other in this trying moment.”

Flood sacks Kwara community

Meanwhile, residents of Bode Saadu community in the Moro Local Government Area of Kwara State have been sacked by flood. The affected residents are now counting their losses, while others have been displaced after Wednesday evening flooding caused by intermittent downpour. Governor Abdulrahman AbdulRazaq who visited the affected community, yesterday promised to support the affected victims of the flood tragedy. Bode Saadu community is located on the Ilorin-Jebba federal highway and located a few kilometers to Jebba dam. Vanguard gathered that the downpours overflew the Arinun Bridge located in the area and submerged many houses in the area. It was also gathered that houses on the river bank were flooded forcing some residents to seek accommodation elsewhere. Residents of the area, who spoke with journalists, said that flooding was a constant occurrence in Jebba community, adding This time around, it is the turn of Bode Saadu.” The post Maiduguri Flood: Residents lament expensive canoe rides appeared first on Vanguard News.

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