By Ebinum Samuel
Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, Brig Gen Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd) has paid a condolence visit to the governor of Borno state, Prof. Babagana Zulum and the Shehu of Borno, His Highness Abubakar Ibn Umar Garbai El-Kanem over the recent flood disaster that claimed lives, displaced hundreds of thousands of residents and damaged several properties in Maiduguri and its environ. Speaking during his visit to Governor Zulum and the Shehu of Borno on Tuesday 17th September 2024, Marwa said as a concerned Nigerian and former Military Governor of the old Borno state, he is moved by the magnitude of the flood disaster on the lives, livelihood and properties of the people as well as the environment.
As a result, the NDLEA boss said he has contacted a fertilizer company he knows for support and they have donated high yield fertilizers equivalent of ten trailer loads worth N120 million to the state government for eventual distribution to affected farmers to aid their quick return to the farm and prevent famine in the months ahead. According to him, “from my knowledge of Borno state as a former military governor here, I can appreciate the enormity of the devastation of this flood on the lives of the people of Maiduguri, their livelihood, their homes and even the environment.
With figures coming out on the number of deaths, displaced persons, properties damaged and land areas affected, this may probably be the worst natural disaster that has ever hit a single city in the history of Nigeria. “This is why I have to come down here to commiserate with the governor, the state government, our royal father the Shehu of Borno and the entire people of the state. The situation on ground demands well-meaning Nigerians to support President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Vice President Kashim Shettima and the state government to ameliorate the impact of this disaster on the people. “I know the state government has been doing a lot and will be considering short term, medium term and long term measures at ameliorating the impact of the disaster on the people; the short term being immediate needs like food, water, medicines, cash gifts and temporary shelter, while the medium term would be interventions intended to return people’s lives to normalcy like getting them back to the farms which have been devastated by the flood.
In this regard, we have been able to facilitate the donation of high yield fertilizers equivalent of 10 trailer loads worth N120 million by a fertilizer company well known to me to the state government for eventual distribution to farmers who will need to return to their farms to avoid famine in the months ahead.” Governor Zulum and the Shehu expressed appreciation to Marwa for finding time to identify with the people of the state and his kind gesture to the affected people.