Dear John,

I'm writing to you from Maiduguri, northeast Nigeria, where unprecedented heavy rains, catastrophic flooding, and the breach of a nearby dam have forced over 400,000 residents from their homes overnight. Half the city is now underwater, and most people have lost everything. The situation is truly dire.

Tragically, many families in Maiduguri were only beginning to rebuild their lives after a decade of violence by armed militia groups, which left their loved ones killed, kidnapped, or abused, displacing them multiple times. Now, devastating floods have forced them once again into overcrowded schools and camps in search of refuge.

Maiduguri is the epicentre of a larger crisis that has engulfed half the country and impacted over a million people dealing with rising floodwaters.

Despite losing their own homes, my colleagues in Maiduguri are delivering urgent relief to those in even greater need. We are providing essential supplies such as tarpaulins, blankets, sleeping mats, and mosquito nets to help keep them safe. Women and children at risk, single parents, people with disabilities, and other vulnerable individuals are also receiving emergency cash assistance to buy critical items, including food.

However, our supplies are quickly depleting, and we can only meet a fraction—less than 10 per cent—of the urgent needs. We must step up our efforts not only in Maiduguri but for flood-affected families across Nigeria. Please, join us to provide emergency support today. 

With my warmest regards,

Arjun Jain
UNHCR Representative in Nigeria
UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency

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