The official number of missing people – thought to be mostly children – has not been released but it is believed the figure could run into the hundreds.

Khadija Ahmed has been crying for 10 days – two of her four children are missing.

After trudging through deep floodwater, a group of volunteers found the exhausted mother and lifted her and the kids on to a truck to take them to safety.

It was only once she arrived at the displaced persons’ camp that she realised her 10-month-old baby and six-year-old Yuram were missing.

Authorities have not released the official number of missing people – thought to be mostly children –but it is believed the figure could run into the hundreds.

At least two million people were affected by the flood that engulfed 70% of Maiduguri, the capital of Borno State, and surrounding areas.

It started in the early hours of Tuesday, September 10, when the Alau Dam – 16km from the city – began to overflow.

More than 400,000 people were displaced, most of whom have taken refuge in makeshift camps.

Thousands of houses in the metropolis and surrounding areas were submerged, along with infrastructure, including roads, bridges, schools, markets, businesses and hospitals. Property and belongings worth billions of naira were lost.

The death toll – 77 so far – has yet to be confirmed. Residents and rescuers say it will be much higher. As the floodwater is gradually subsiding, people have reported seeing dead bodies on the streets.

Despite huge efforts by rescuers – made up of volunteers, soldiers and other security operatives, local and international non-governmental organisations, and the national and state emergency management agencies – many people remain missing. No one knows if they are dead or alive.

Khadija said she woke up when water started pouring into her tent in the Gidan-Dambe area of Maiduguri, where she has been living for eight years after being displaced by armed-conflict in Dikwa town.

“I was confused. There was water swirling around the tent. It was getting deeper and deeper.

“When we got outside the tent, I saw that my neighbours had already left. I knew we had to try to get to higher ground.

“Abba, my eldest son, who is 15, and his sister, Zara, who is 12, were walking ahead of me. I had my last born, Batul, who is 10 months old, in my arms and I was holding six-year-old Yuram’s hand.

“It was very hard to hold on to them because there was so much water. Eventually we joined a large group of people who were also trying to get to higher ground. Two of the men saw that I was struggling so they took the baby and Yuram from me. We all kept trudging through the water.

“After many kilometres, we were rescued by a team of volunteers who helped us on to a truck. I thought the men carrying my children were already inside the truck. It was very big and there were lots of people.

“It was only when we got to the displaced persons’ camp that I realised Yuram and Batul were missing.”

Khadija told RNI that she had not seen her two young children since they were separated.

“I don’t know where they are. It’s been 10 days now. I cry every day. I can’t eat or sleep. As the days go by, the chance that they are alive gets less. But I have not given up hope. I pray that I will find them.”

Hajja Aisha told RNI that her husband and brothers are missing.

“We were in our house in the Maiduri area of Maiduguri. It was about midnight. There was water everywhere. My husband gave me ₦2,000 and told me to take the children and go somewhere safe.

“My two brothers live in the same area. They said they would leave if the water got too high.

“My children and I started wading through the water. We almost drowned a few times. After walking for a while we were rescued by members of the Civilian Joint Task Force [CJTF].

“I have not seen my husband or my brothers for 10 days. I tried to search for them in the temporary displaced persons’ camp at the Yerwa Government Girls Secondary School where we are staying but I could not find them.

“I am sick with worry. I do not know if I will ever see them again.”

Ba Luwarsa said two of her grandchildren are missing.

“My granddaughters, Hauwa and Fadila, got separated from us at Custom Bridge. Our house in the Kwanan Yobe area of Maiduguri was flooded and we were trying to get to a safe place. A large body of water overwhelmed us and we lost sight of the girls.

“I reported them missing to officials at Government College Maiduguri camp and I searched all over for them – but it was all in vain.

“I am just praying that they are alive and healthy. I’m optimistic that we will be reunited – I just have to keep on searching for them.”

Ya Bintu Abubakar Ali, a search and rescue specialist, who was a guest on RNI’s special programme, Family Link, said people whose loved ones are missing should remain optimistic until the status of missing persons is confirmed by the authorities.

She urged parents and relatives to report all missing persons to the relevant authorities and to stay informed by monitoring local news.

Duncan Harvey, the country director of Save the Children, visited Maiduguri. He said: “I have worked in the humanitarian sector for more than 20 years and still, what I saw in Maiduguri shocked me to my core.

“Hundreds of thousands of children are crammed side by side in camps with no clean water, sanitation, food or healthcare. They are terrified and have lost everything – their homes, their belongings, sometimes their families.

“One of the most distressing things I saw was in one displacement camp where 22 children had been separated from their families. We are making efforts with other agencies to reunite these children with family members.”

SHETTIMA LAWAN MONGUNO