Tinubu visits Borno, announces disaster relief fund

President Bola Tinubu on Monday announced a disaster relief fund in Maiduguri, Borno State, to assist Nigerian citizens impacted by floods and other disasters.

Tinubu, who urged the private sector to contribute to the fund, said such an initiative is expedient as the climate becomes more unpredictable and many regions in the country become vulnerable to its vagaries.

Tinubu announced this at the Borno Government House when he visited the state to sympathise with the government and people over the recent flooding from Alau Dam.

Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Mr. Bayo Onanuga, revealed this in a statement he signed Monday titled, ‘President Tinubu visits Borno state, pledges more support for citizens, creation of disaster relief fund.’

The Senate President Godswill Akpabio, who accompanied the President on the visit, said the National Assembly will collaborate with the executive to establish the Fund.

Tinubu visited the Shehu of Borno, an Internally Displaced Persons camp at the Government Secondary School in Maiduguri and had a drive-through of the areas affected by the disaster.

He said: “After my visit to the Shehu of Borno and the IDP camp, I have been reflecting on how to tackle this kind of disaster and the effects of climate change.

“There must be a disaster relief fund. I will invite the private sector to team up with us and help rebuild the affected areas.”

“If we take a small percentage from FAAC and put it as a disaster relief fund, which will include all of you, we will be activating and strengthening our sense of belonging,” he said.

The President thanked Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq of Kwara State, who is also Chairman of the Nigeria Governors Forum, Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed, Sokoto State Governor Ahmad Aliyu, Kogi State Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo, and other governors who look beyond party lines to bear the burdens of others. He said that Nigeria’s diversity should spur prosperity.

Tinubu also extended his sympathy to the government, the people of Yobe State, and all the states affected by flooding and pledged his government’s continued support for victims of natural disasters.

“For all the people of Yobe State, I sympathise with you. We will create an outstanding programme for Nigeria to recover from this calamity. We will build our nation together,” he assured.

The President commended the governor of Borno state, Professor Babagana Zulum, for prompt intervention and the Theatre Command of the Nigerian military for the evacuation that saved many lives.

“I am glad that Prof. Zulum has been a very active governor. Let me assure you that we will be with you, Borno State and share the burden.

“This disaster was a natural one. It was not the making of anybody. We cannot pass the blame. We pray that the Almighty Allah will receive the souls of the departed and grant them eternal rest.

“May God also overlook their shortcomings and misdeeds on earth,” he added.

Tinubu commended all the ministries, agencies, and security outfits, particularly the military, involved in evacuation and relief and recognised the international organisations working in the state.

The governor of Borno state thanked the President for the visit and commended the prompt intervention of Federal Government agencies, particularly NEMA and the military’s Theatre Command, in evacuating stranded victims.

At the palace, the Shehu of Borno, Abubakar Ibn Umar Garba El-Kanemi, thanked the President for the honour of visiting the state after the Vice President, Sen. Kashim Shettima, had earlier represented him.

The Shehu of Borno urged the President to investigate the cause of the Alua dam collapse and overflow into the town to prevent a recurrence.

Nearly half of Maiduguri was submerged in water after the Alau Dam, a critical infrastructure designed to regulate water flow and provide irrigation and drinking water, overflowed its seams following heavy rainfall, according to the National Emergency Management Agency.

The palace of the Shehu of Borno, Umar El-Kanemi, the state secretariat, the post office, the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, a cemetery and the Shehu Sanda Kyarimi Park, a popular zoo in Maiduguri, were also partly submerged.

Over 414,000 people have been affected, according to the United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria, Mohamed Malick Fall, as the death toll has exceeded 100.

In his message to the state Government on Tuesday, September 10, Tinubu expressed deep concern and urged the relevant government agencies to expedite rescue efforts.

“While relevant authorities are still assessing the damage wrought by the flood, the President calls for the immediate evacuation of people from affected areas,” read a statement from the Presidency.