*The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, in a report, highlights the immediate needs at the emergency Internally Displaced Person camps, in Maiduguri, Borno State, North-East Nigeria, to include food, protection, shelter and clean water, warning some water sources are contaminated, and could lead to outbreaks of diseases, such as Cholera

Isola Moses | 绿帽献妻

Sequel to recent flood disasters across the state, the United Nations (UN) has raised the alarm over the likelihood of an outbreak of cholera disease at emergency Internally Displaced Person (IDP) camps in Maiduguri, Borno State, North-East Nigeria.

The UN鈥檚 Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), in a report, highlighted the immediate needs are food, protection, shelter and clean water, adding that some water sources are contaminated, and could lead to outbreaks of diseases, such as Cholera.

鈥淭he immediate needs are food, shelter and clean water, with some water sources contaminated.

鈥淧rotection remains a major concern, especially among unaccompanied and separated children, older persons and people living with disabilities.

鈥淚ntermediate needs include non-food items and interventions to prevent the outbreak of diseases such as cholera in congested sites,鈥� the UN Office stated.

According to OCHA, the massive floods in the Maiduguri metropolis have also affected nutrition stabilisation centres treating severely malnourished children in MMC and Jere LGAs.

It also disclosed that in Maiduguri, Borno State capital, the most affected areas are Gwange, Bama Road, Maiduguri Zoo, Post office, State Secretariat, Lagos Street, Shehu鈥檚 Palace, the Maiduguri Main Market, Customs/Gamboru areas, Budum, Specialist Hospital and Post Office general area.

The UN Office further said that the State Low-Cost area is currently on high alert. Shikari general area is also flooded, with people relocating along Muna Road in the metropolis.

Besides, the report indicated that two of the UN guesthouses in the state are inaccessible due to excessive flooding.

It stated: 鈥淏eyond MMC and Jere LGAs in Borno State, the Dalwa community in Damboa LGA is also affected, with Bama and Gwoza LGAs similarly reporting flooding.

鈥淏efore the recent flash floods, almost 123,000 people in Borno State were affected by floods and windstorms since August.鈥�

The report also noted: 鈥淭he floods have destroyed critical infrastructure and heightened the risk of disease outbreaks especially in overcrowded IDP camps.

鈥淪ome of the flood-affected areas in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe (BAY) states are facing a food and nutrition crisis affecting 4.8 million people and putting the lives of 230,000 children at risk through severe acute malnutrition.鈥�

绿帽献妻 gathered that Borno State has the highest number of affected and displaced people as of 9 September.

Other states most affected by the floods across the country include Bauchi, Bayelsa, Enugu, Jigawa, Kano, Niger, Sokoto, and Zamfara.

Across Nigeria, floods have damaged tens of thousands of hectares of farmland ahead of the harvest season, amid record spikes in food and fuel inflation.

鈥淭he damage to crops risks elevating food insecurity in the ongoing lean season, and in the coming months.

鈥淭his may lead to a further deterioration in the already alarming food insecurity in the country.

鈥淢ore than 32 million people in Nigeria are facing severe food insecurity, according to the March 2024 Cadre Harmonis茅 food security and nutrition assessment.鈥�

Meanwhile, the UN has assured that its partners activated their business continuity plans to continue providing critical services to the affected Nigerians in the flood-ravaged communities.

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