Residents of Maiduguri are facing exploitation by canoe operators, who are charging exorbitant fees to transport people and belongings following last week’s devastating floods.
The floods, which ravaged 70% of the city, displaced over 414,000 people and caused 37 deaths. With vehicles unable to move in many areas, residents rely on canoes.
Falmata Muhammed, a 48-year-old mother of three, was charged N80,000 for a short trip, more than the monthly minimum wage. “Some are making it a big business, using the disaster to make a huge amount of money,” she said.
FLOODING DEVASTATES KWARA COMMUNITY, RESIDENTS LEFT HOMELESS
Governor Babagana Zulum has convened an emergency meeting with United Nations Humanitarian Workers and development partners to coordinate relief efforts.
“We need UN assistance in rebuilding destroyed houses, hospitals, schools, and critical infrastructure,” Zulum said.
The governor warned against indiscriminate opening of Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps, especially in closed public schools, without state government permission.
Source: Vanguard.
