Violated promises and stolen futures in Maidugura

The threat of flooding again overwhelming over the city of Maidugur, in the northeast Nigeria, a year after the heavy rains and the collapse of the dam left entire quarters immersed in the water.

For many residents who still carry last year’s scars, the opportunity to repeat has created great concern.

At least 37 people were killed in the flood, and two million were supposed to abandon their homes after wide destruction of houses, farms and businesses.

Forty -two years Saadat Dahir lost his two -year -old son.

“He died as a result of hunger and fever during the flood. We had no proper food, nor medicines and a safe place of residence.”

She told the BBC as her children were crying, and they had to leave in the middle of the night, carrying “only a few clothes”, leaving everything else behind.

She says she received some support at 10,000 NAIRA ($ 7; £ 5) when a flood occurred.

However, the mother of six says that the government’s assistance has since stopped: “Since then, none of the other promises has reached us. We are still waiting, we still suffer.”

The Borna State Government states that it supports local communities affected by the disaster.

It refers to the creation of assistance and food assistance camps as well as cash materials.

What is even more significant, the government began to reconstruct the Platinum and Dama system in Alau – on the outskirts of Maiduguri – which caused the flood.

The construction of the dam began in 1986, and it is supported by the CBDA Basin Development Office, the Nigeria Government Agency.

However, more than a decade of decades of the insurgents of the Islamist Bok Haram group in the area complicated the platinum content, said BBC Mohammed Settima.

“The dam is located on the outskirts of the Sambis forest – about 4 km (2.5 miles) from the base of jihadist groups,” he explained.

“The dams were also worn because they were not supported when heavy rains came last year, the daiki conceded, releasing () a huge volume of water that flooded the city.”

In August, two soldiers were killed near the dam and four security agents were killed in the hands of Islamist militants.

One of the victims of the flood suffered from Islamist violence is Mariam Jedda.

She escaped her hometown of Daboa, together with her daughter and two grandchildren after she had been attacked by Boko Haram about four years ago.

“They didn’t warn. They came as a dark wind at night,” she recalls.

She thought she found security in Maidugur. Then the floods came and forced her to run for the second time.

She was sitting in a broken quarter from the debris of her destroyed house with her red dress, or Jillbab, dropped over her head down to the ground.

The eyes that came out of the eyes, the 72-year-old man cut the figure of the one who saw years of suffering and difficulties.

“I stood in deep water in the lower back, cried,” said Mrs. Jedda, retelling the moment that changes the life that water entered her connection before she overcame her home.

Now she lives in a temporary shelter, where food is low and unclean water.

And she not only lost the house, but also the photos and things that wore her family’s memories.

One year from the flood, many residents still live in improvised shelters and no houses.

The youth also also suffered because of the violation of their education, as well as lack of jobs.

Ali Kadau, 21, said the BBC that the flood “took everything from him.

“I managed to the flood. I didn’t go far to school, but I had little skills – I helped in the mechanical workshop, correct the tires, fulfilled the instructions,” he said, sitting on a broken chair, driving away the sword’s flies in hot weather Maiduguri.

Mr. Kadau reminded how it started, as every season of rains – the usual flood on the streets. But this time it didn’t stop. The water began to enter the homes of people, and soon, the Guvange zone, where it lived, was immersed.

“Our own house – built with dirt – did not stand the pressure. The walls fell. The water entered, carrying everything. Our clothes, rugs, food, even my phone I attracted customers. Everyone has gone,” he lamented.

The family slept on the street three days before they found a place in a nearby school. There was neither confidentiality nor comfort, just the bodies that lay nearby.

The mechanics shop in which it worked was also affected – water destroyed the tools and machines.

“Now I’m just sitting. There is a job. There is no money to start. Sometimes I help push the wheelbarrow in the market to eat. Other days I think nothing but think,” he said.

Governor Borna Babagan Umar Zulum called the flood reaction as a terrible task, especially given the 16-year struggle of the state with violent extremism.

“We have set up a committee with specific landmarks,” he said, adding that the members had worked tirelessly to provide affected families who received proper support, including shelters and food.

A significant task was to find asylum for two million people in Maiduguria, already conducted by more than a million people who escaped Islamist attacks.

“The government’s priority was to stop the overflow of water, which helped prevent the city completely immersed. It was reached through the deposit rivers and the construction of a new (drainage),” he said.

According to the Committee’s report, a total of 28.2 billion NAIRA ($ 18 million.

A considerable amount of money was reportedly distributed by more than 100,000 households, as well as food and non -food products.

Additional support included financial assistance more than 7,000 traders in the affected markets, as well as the place of cult and private schools.

As part of the recovery and recovery measures, Borna asked for an additional 61 billion NAIRA to rebuild damaged infrastructure, including bridges, road networks and hospitals.

However, there is a danger that such a large amount of money will not be approved unless there is another disaster.

Some funds have also been approved for rehabilitation and upgrade well throughout the Maidugur and surrounding communities to resolve the water deficiency caused by flooding.

Since the rainy season goes to its climax in September, for people like Mrs. Dahir, the question simply: “How do I start again if I don’t have anything?”

While Ms Jedda still mourn. She had 10 children. Only three survived.

“There is nothing left but memories and pain.”

Additional Chigozie Ohaka report and Gift Ufuoma