Borno Flood: Why I feed 10,000 victims daily – Imam

Kashim Imam says he would sustain the programme to complement the government’s efforts

A Borno traditional title holder and politician, Kashim Imam, says he decided to provide food for 10,000 victims of the Maiduguri flood disaster daily based on his assessment of the victims’ critical need.

Mr Imam, the Mutawalle of Borno, said this in an interview while monitoring the feeding programme, on Friday.

He said he would sustain the programme, which he scaled up from 6,000 to 10,000 victims in camps to complement the government’s efforts.

According to Mr Imam, as the victims gradually move out of camps, they will be supported with rice instead of the cooked food they currently receive.

He commended his family members and volunteers for cooking and distributing food to the flood victims in various camps daily.

“I want to particularly commend the military, who are not only actively engaged in search and rescue operations but also assist me in sharing the food to victims as well as ensuring orderliness and decorum during the exercise,” Mr Imam said.

The former Board Chairman of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) also lauded the concern and response from the government, organisations, philanthropists, and all other individuals to the people of Borno over the sudden incident that took people unaware.

“Nobody was prepared for this; people were caught unaware in the middle of the night.

“Many escaped with the only clothes they were wearing, with some trapped for more than a week.

“As the flood recedes, many cannot even go back to their homes because there’s no home to go back to,” Imam lamented.

A cross-section of the victims benefitting from Mr Imam’s gesture expressed gratitude for the support and urged other leaders and well-meaning Nigerians to emulate the gesture.

“The most pressing issue now is saving lives and stabilising the survivors through feeding and shelter.

“We want to sincerely thank the Mutawalle of Borno, other philanthropists and organisations doing similar exercises in various camps.

“May God Almighty bless them and continue to touch their lives with joy and happiness as they touched our lives at this moment of need,” Habiba Idris, a displaced woman with two children, prayed. (NAN)