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Nigerian flood victims face long wait for medical help

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By Ahmed Kingimi

MAIDUGURI, Nigeria (Reuters) – People in Nigeria’s flood-hit northeastern Borno state are struggling to get medical care as overwhelmed aid agencies warn of an outbreak of waterborne disease following the worst floods to hit the region in three decades.

Residents walk as they leave the flooded areas in Maiduguri, northern Borno state, Nigeria September 15, 2024. REUTERS/Ahmed Kingimi
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More than 30 people have been killed by the floods, which authorities say affected about one million people, most of whom are housed in camps without food and clean water.

The deluge threatens not only the health and safety of the displaced but puts a strain on aid agencies and government resources, exacerbating an already critical humanitarian crisis.

The floods in Borno, the birthplace of Boko Haram militants in the Lake Chad basin, started when a dam burst its walls following heavy rainfall that has also caused floods in Cameroon, Chad, Mali and Niger, all part of Africa’s Sahel region that usually receives little rain.

Residents leave the flooded areas with their belongings in Maiduguri, northern Borno state, Nigeria September 15, 2024. REUTERS/Ahmed Kingimi © Thomson Reuters

In the last two weeks of August, more than 1.5 million people were displaced across 12 countries in West and Central Africa due to floods, and about 465 have been killed, according to the United Nations humanitarian affairs office.

Residents leave the flooded areas with their belongings in Maiduguri, northern Borno state, Nigeria September 15, 2024. REUTERS/Ahmed Kingimi
© Thomson Reuters

Over the weekend, an additional 50,000 people were displaced in northeastern Nigeria as the floods intensified, the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) said on Monday.

“The situation in the Sahel and Lake Chad region is increasingly dire, as the compounding effects of conflict, displacement and climate change take a severe toll on vulnerable populations,” said Hassane Hamadou, NRC’s Central and West Africa regional director.

The floods in West Africa come at a time of flooding in Europe after days of torrential rain that caused rivers to burst their banks in several parts of the region.

In a camp in Maiduguri, Borno’s state capital, Bintu Amadu was among hundreds of frustrated people waiting for hours to see a doctor because her son had diarrhoea.

“We have not received any aid, and our attempts to see a doctor have been unsuccessful. We have been waiting for medical attention since yesterday, but to no avail,” she said.

Ramatu Yajubu was happy she had obtained an appointment card after waiting for days, but quickly added: “I am uncertain about receiving attention due to the overwhelming number of people seeking care.”

A view of the prison where nearly three hundred prisoners escaped after floods in Maiduguri, northern Borno state, Nigeria September 15, 2024. REUTERS/Ahmed Kingimi
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Mathias Goemaere, a field coordinator for Medecins Sans Frontieres, said that even before the floods, residents in Borno were struggling with malnutrition, following years of an Islamist insurgency that has driven people from their farms.

“They are exposed to their environment, so what do we see? A lot of waterborne diseases, diarrhoea, diarrhoeal diseases … Malaria is around with a lot of mosquitoes,” Goemaere told Reuters.

“So a lot of people, because of malnutrition, are immuno-suppressed, which makes them more susceptible to diseases.”

Nigeria’s government has separately warned of rising water levels in the country’s largest rivers, the Benue and Niger, which could cause floods in the oil-producing Niger Delta region in the south.

(Writing by MacDonald Dzirutwe and Bate Felix, Editing by William Maclean)

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MOTORISTS AMBUSHED AND ABDUCTED IN NGOR-OKPALA: IMO POLICE LAUNCH MASSIVE COUNTER-OPERATION

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By Prince Uwalaka Chimaroke
8-DEC-2025

A disturbing incident unfolded in Amala Autonomous Community, Ngor-Okpala LGA, on December 7, 2025, when armed assailants stormed the roadway, opened fire on a Toyota Highlander, and forcefully whisked away the occupants of a Lexus RS300.

The attackers were said to have emerged suddenly from a nearby bush path, shooting the driver of the Highlander—who was later confirmed dead at the hospital—before escaping with their abducted victims.

Following the attack, the Imo State Police Command, under the leadership of Commissioner of Police CP Aboki Danjuma, immediately intensified security operations across the area.

Officers from the Ngor-Okpala Division swiftly cordoned off the scene, evacuated the injured driver, and initiated a coordinated manhunt alongside other security agencies and local vigilante outfits.

A wide-ranging search-and-rescue mission is now underway, with joint operatives combing the Amala forest corridor and tracking potential suspects. Investigators report that early progress has been made, and efforts to rescue the kidnapped individuals are continuing with renewed momentum.

The Imo State Police Command has reassured the public that all available resources are being deployed to crack down on the perpetrators and prevent similar incidents. Residents have been urged to remain calm and share any useful information with the nearest police station or through the dedicated emergency line: 0803 477 3600.

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SEE VIDEO: MIDNIGHT CARNAGE IN LILU: GUNMEN RAZE ANGLICAN CHURCH, KILL PRIEST’S WIFE AND ONE OTHER

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By Prince Uwalaka Chimaroke
8- DEC- 2025

The quiet community of Lilu in Ihiala Local Government Area of Anambra State was thrown into mourning on Sunday after armed assailants launched a devastating midnight attack on St. Andrews Anglican Church, leaving two people dead—including the wife of the resident priest—and destroying several buildings within the church premises.

The attackers reportedly stormed the church compound in the early hours of the morning, firing sporadically and setting fire to multiple structures. The assault came just as some early worshippers were preparing for the day’s service. Witnesses said the gunmen moved with brutal precision, torching vehicles, the priest’s residence, and other facilities as frightened residents fled for safety.

By Monday morning, when journalists arrived to assess the destruction, what was once a vibrant centre of worship had been reduced to ruins. Charred vehicles, shattered roofs, burnt personal items, and lingering smoke told the story of a night filled with terror. The church compound, normally bustling with worshippers, stood eerily quiet—its silence a stark reminder of the violence that occurred.

One eyewitness, still visibly shaken, recounted the chaos:
“They came in shooting everywhere. Everything was burning—cars, buildings, even the priest’s house. The priest’s wife and one other person were killed. Many were injured. It was like something from a nightmare.”

Residents expressed deep concern over the severity of the attack and lamented the lack of nationwide attention to what they described as a direct assault on their community and faith.

Meanwhile, the Anambra State Police Command confirmed the tragic incident. Police spokesperson SP Tochukwu Ikenga said Commissioner of Police, CP Ikioye Orutugu, had strongly condemned the violence, calling it “utterly wicked and intolerable.” He noted that the CP has ordered intensified intelligence operations, strengthened joint security deployment, and enhanced surveillance across the area to prevent further occurrences.

Ikenga extended condolences on behalf of the Command to the bereaved families and the entire Lilu community. He urged residents to remain calm and cooperate with ongoing investigations as security agencies move to track down the perpetrators.

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Imo Govt shuts hotel, mortuary over alleged kidnapping, organ-harvest

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Imo State government has shutdown a hotel and a mortuary allegedly used for kidnapping and the harvesting of human organs.

The State Police Public Relations Officer, Okoye Henry, disclosed this in a statement shared via X handle on Sunday.

Henry said the operation was based on credible intelligence regarding a suspected criminal, Stanley Morocco Oparaugo, who remains at large.

According to the command, the action formed part of an ongoing crackdown on kidnapping and violent crimes along the Owerri–Aba Expressway, led by the Commissioner of Police, Aboki Danjuma, in collaboration with other security stakeholders.

“A hotel and a private mortuary owned by the suspect, allegedly used by kidnappers and violent criminals, were inspected.

“At the mortuary, decomposed and mutilated corpses were discovered in unhygienic conditions, raising suspicions of illegal organ-harvesting activities.

“Following these discoveries, both the hotel and mortuary were sealed on the directive of the State Government.

“The suspect’s residence was also searched, and crucial exhibits were recovered,” he said.

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