Chairman of the Aliko Dangote Foundation (ADF) and chairman, National Committee on Flood Relief and Rehabilitation, Mr Aliko Dangote, has donated a whopping sum of one billion nnaira to help assuage the pains of the Maiduguri flood victims in Borno State.

The Presidential Committee on Flood Relief and Rehabilitation (PCFRR), which Dangote heads, also donated another sum of one billion naira to the cause to help the Maiduguri victims of the flooding.

During an on-the-spot inspection of the disaster-stricken areas on Friday, Dangote, who is also the president and chief executive of the Dangote Industries Limited, empathised with the victims and rallied for support from other Nigerians and willing stakeholders.

Speaking on the flooding incident, Dangote described the sight as “mindboggling”, and exclaimed that he has “never seen a disaster of this scale before.”

He said, “I am moved with pity; I have never seen a disaster of this magnitude before. The state needs urgent help and intervention from well-meaning Nigerians and stakeholders.

“A lot of infrastructural development needs to be done; the houses and roads need urgent attention for people to get their lives back. Again, we are asking that corporate organisations need to intervene and provide succour in every way possible as the government cannot do it alone.”

In his remarks, Borno State Governor Babagana Zulum appreciated Dangote’s support, stating that he has contributed immensely to the development of the state.

He added that he was not surprised to see the business mogul visit the disaster area as a solidarity gesture. He called on well-meaning Nigerians to emulate Mr Dangote in his charitable contributions.

Recall that the flood has displaced over a million residents, and about 30 persons have been confirmed dead.

The director-general of the Borno State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Mr Barkindo Mohammed, stated that “As of 5:00 p.m. on Thursday, SEMA evacuated 3,683 persons from their homes in a rescue operation. The search and rescue operation is still ongoing.

“The mode of rescue involves motorists, boats, canoes, divers, military, and fire service trucks, among others. As the water continues to recede, we are concentrating on those who make distress calls and will start search and rescue today and tomorrow,” Mohammed said.

According to him, about two million people were affected, and so far, SEMA has opened 14 official camps and many informal camps where displaced persons can go. He said that the federal government has supported the state with N3 billion and food consignments.

“President Bola Tinubu has supported Borno and other states with N3 billion each. Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno State has forwarded the money to SEMA, and he has added more on what the federal government gave. We are not only responding to the flood victims in Maiduguri but also in local government areas across the state,” Mohammed said.

In early December 2022, the Dangote-led Presidential Committee on Flood Relief and Rehabilitation (PCFRR), known as Dangote Flood Committee had, commenced the distribution of relief materials, worth N1.5 billion to victims of flooding nationwide. The PCFRR, which was established by the federal government following the 2012 flooding, is co-chaired by Aliko Dangote and renowned legal giant, Dr. Olisa Agbakoba.