Starrys Obazei/December 5, 2022.
Hundreds of the residents of Malam-Fatori, headquarters of Abadam Local Government Area, of Borno State have fled to the neighboring Niger Republic because of floods.
Malam-Fatori is situated on the shores of Lake Chad. The victims are taking refuge in Bosso, which is just across the international border from Malam-Fatori.
The recent floods are said to have been caused by excessive recharge around Lake Chad this year, causing incalculable damage to the victims.
For years, Nigerians and Nigeriens from the border areas often move in and out of the border towns for social, trade, and cultural trade purposes.
Between 2013 and 2014, many Nigerians from Abadam, Monguno, and a number of the 10 LGAs in Northern Borno, took refuge in Bosso and lived there for seven years, fleeing from attacks by Boko Haram insurgents on Nigeria’s side of the border.
The Governor of Borno State, Babagana Zulum has since become governor in 2019 and traveled to different parts of the Niger Republic on about 10 occasions, all for humanitarian assessments and interventions.
As an outcome of Zulum’s visits, thousands of refugees returned from Bosso and were resettled in their ancestral communities mostly in northern Borno.
A number of them were resettled in Malam-Fatori early this year (2022).
Malam-Fatori was occupied by Boko Haram for seven years since 2014 before it was recovered by the military.
Governor Zulum was at Bosso on Sunday, December 4, to commiserate with the flood refugees.
“We are here to sympathize with you over the flood disaster that has affected you,” he condoled the victims, acknowledging, “many of you lost personal belongings,” and promising, “Borno State Government will support you and we will return you to your community as soon as the water recedes.”
The governor thanked officials of the Niger Republic for always welcoming Nigerians from Borno State in times of distress.