Residents in parts of Maiduguri, Borno State capital are lamenting the loss of their properties to recent flooding.
HumAngle reports that flooding has taken over some residential homes and parts of the Bakassi Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps, displacing many of the residents.
Some of the affected areas include Polo, Ngomari, Bakassi IDP camp, and Zajeri Umarari Kan Tudu around the city centre.
Residents told HumAngle that the flood was as a result of blockage of waterways due to the indiscriminate dumping of refuse and polythene bags in the drainages.
Sera Ummi, a resident of Umarari Zajeri Kan Tudu said, “Our houses are being submerged by the drains in the area.
“The problem of blocked drainage in this area has been going on for a long time and I have stayed in Zajeri for 13 years,” she said.
She revealed that the flooding has led to food shortages and increased the sufferings of the people.
“We have been complaining of the hardship but no organisation has done anything to ease it.
“No individual or organisation has done anything to repair the flooding,” she added.
Another resident, Ramatu had her home filled with water which caused irreparable damage to some household items.
She said, “The drains are blocked which makes the water run into the residential homes.”
Another resident, Mohammed Musa also decried the regular flooding of the metropolis.
He called on the people to help clear their drains and desist from dumping their refuse in waterways to control the flooding.
The situation is no different at the Bakassi IDP camp where victims of violence are struggling to navigate their day to day life.
Hauwa Maina, a displaced person at the camp said her tent and those of several others were submerged due to lack of outlets to drain the water from the camp.
In Umarari, Saminu Musa told HumAngle that the town has been dealing with flooding for over 15 years.
He also explained that the government or aid organisations have not intervened on the issue.
Musa said that several complains have been lodged with the government and appeals have been made to organisations but none have responded favourably.
He, however, added that the blockage of drains should be cleared by the people in the area as it is their collective responsibility.
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