IN response to the devastating floods that have displaced hundreds of thousands of people in Maiduguri, Borno State, Humanity First Nigeria under the auspices of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community has launched an emergency relief effort to support the victims.
According to a statement by the head of the media relations unit of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at Nigeria, Dr Qasim Akinreti, the relief effort, spearheaded by Mr Abdul-Qadir Abdul-Rafi, Team Lead for Disaster Relief and Programmes, commenced at the Baga Road Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) Centre.
The team, in collaboration with 20 dedicated local volunteers, distributed cooked meals to about 1,000 victims. The volunteers also worked to ensure that the victims received other items needed for their sustenance.
The floods, which affected an estimated one million people across northern Nigeria, had submerged half of Maiduguri and displaced more than 400,000 people from their homes.
The refugees at the Baga Road IDP Centre expressed gratitude to Humanity First Nigeria for the gesture, but appealed for further assistance regarding the provision of other essential items such as mats, mattresses and business support for those whose livelihoods have been destroyed by the floods.
Mr Abdul-Rafi, in a remark, emphasised that the organisation remains committed to alleviating the suffering of the flood victims.
“Humanity First Nigeria, in collaboration with Humanity First International and our global partners like Humanity First Canada, will continue to provide relief and stand with the flood victims at this difficult time,” he said.
The flood disaster, one of the worst in the region in recent years, has drawn attention from international organisations and humanitarian bodies. Despite efforts by the bodies, the immediate needs of the flood victims remain urgent.
Humanity First Nigeria called for additional support from local and international partners to provide essential materials and long-term assistance to those who have lost their homes and livelihoods.
Humanity First Nigeria continues its mission of providing relief, with plans to scale up its efforts in the coming days to reach more flood victims across other affected areas.
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