Sept. 19, 2024

The Borno State government says the Lion in Maiduguri zoo survived the flood that ravaged city and is being rehabilitated.

The Borno Commissioner for Information and Internal Security, Prof. Usman Tar, announced this In his maiden briefing at the Flood Disaster Situation Room.

He also said a team has been dispatched to trace escaped animals from the Zoo, while many have been captured.

Many displaced persons in Maiduguri have started leaving camps for their  homes as water has receded in many parts of the city as over 30,000 households with a population of over 600,000 were registered.

“All those leaving camps are provided with two weeks food ration and N10,000 each by the State Government which has embarked on distribution of cash and food items in the 32 camps across Maiduguri.

Tar said that the government was committed to closing the camps within two weeks and was happy to see some people leaving after collecting their ration.

About 40 per cent of thosw in the camps were being attended to with cash and food palliatives by members of the flood committee.

According to him, a Rapid Assessment Team had been established with technically qualified individuals and community leaders to go round and assess damage for government support.

“The committee will go round and check the nature of destruction on homes and determine the cash equivalent of the destruction on the basis of which the government shall provide cash support to each household.

On incidents of looting in some affected areas, Tar said that security men had been mobilised with many arrests made.

He cautioned against some reported dangerous activities like consumption of dead animals, contaminated food and drugs, adding that public enlightenment was on for arrest and prosecution of those involved in the sales and distribution of contaminated items.