The United Nations has announced a $6 million commitment to aid victims affected by severe flooding in Maiduguri, Borno State. The pledge, disbursed through the Nigeria Humanitarian Fund, is aimed at addressing the immediate needs of those impacted by the natural disaster.
During a press briefing on Monday in New York, UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric confirmed that a coordinated relief mission, involving multiple UN agencies, non-governmental organizations, and the Nigeria Red Cross Society, had been deployed to Maiduguri over the weekend. Mohammed Fall, the Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria, is overseeing the efforts on the ground.
Dujarric stated, “We and our partners are providing hot meals, facilitating air drops of food to hard-to-reach areas cut off by floodwaters, and trucking in water.” In addition to food supplies, the UN is delivering essential sanitation and hygiene services, including water purification tablets, to prevent the spread of diseases. Hygiene and dignity kits are also being distributed to women and girls, alongside emergency health and shelter services.
The flooding, which has devastated the region, exacerbates an already fragile humanitarian situation in northeastern Nigeria. The UN’s World Food Programme (WFP) has indicated that $147.9 million is needed to assist people facing food insecurity in the area over the next six months.
This support from the UN underscores the global body’s ongoing commitment to alleviating the suffering of flood victims in Nigeria, as they continue to face significant challenges in the wake of this disaster.
