Some fishermen and children are recording good fish harvests in the flood-ridden Maiduguri areas in Borno as desperate residents use mosquito nets for fishing in the floodwaters.

While fishermen used proper fishing nets, the children used mosquito nets and bare hands to fish in the receding waters and artificial ponds created by the floods.

One of the children, Danladi, said the experience was worth it, as they were making a good catch.

“Sometimes what we catch is enough for soup when we mobilise in groups,” stated the youngster. “Most of the fish are tiny. We fry or roast them to eat.

Meanwhile, other residents are doing brisk business with canoe transport in the flood-ravaged Maiduguri.

The flood submerged Maiduguri in the past 10 days following the breakdown of spillways at the Alau dam.

The disaster submerged residential areas and farmlands, cut off roads, and displaced thousands of households.

People patronised the canoe operators to move from one point to another for a fee.

In flood-ridden areas such as the College of Agriculture, Muna and 505 Housing Estate, the floodwater has forced residents to hire canoes to access their homes.

A canoe operator, Haruna, said he charged N5,000 and above to ferry a passenger to the flooded residential quarters and other affected areas.

He explained that most of the passengers were going to their homes for damage assessment or to collect some belongings.

“It depends on the distance and what a passenger is going to do. If we are to carry some items, the charge will rise to N10,000 or more,” he said.

The Borno government reopened the Maiduguri Central Market, known as Monday Market, for businesses 10 days after the flood. 

The North-East Development Commission Commission (NEDC) also donated N3 billion to the Borno government to support small businesses affected by the disaster.  

(NAN)