00:00When floods swept through Nigeria's northeastern city of Maiduguri last week, canoe owners
00:07volunteered to help move residents to safety.
00:10Maiduguri, the capital of Borno state, is reeling from the worst flooding in three decades
00:17after a dam wall burst following heavy rains that also hit several parts of West and Central
00:23Africa.
00:24With vehicles unable to move in many parts of Maiduguri, residents are relying on canoes.
00:33But residents say they are now being ripped off by the canoe owners charging steep fees
00:38to move their belongings.
00:40Baba Ali Maina, a 51-year-old father of four, said he decided to move some electronics and
00:46cooking items this week, but was shocked when a canoe owner charged him 70,000 naira for
00:53a short trip, more than the monthly minimum wage.
00:56Some of them has been exploited to that extent, but some will get it at a lower price, but
01:02they do collect money, honestly.
01:04Some ask even to the extent of 70.
01:08After losing almost everything to floods, he was unhappy about the cost, but would rather
01:13pay it than allow whatever remains of his properties to be stolen.
01:18But fisherman and canoe owner Mohamed Youssef, who also lost some of his canoe's nets and
01:23stored fish, said he still moved residents for free, but that the boys who worked with
01:27him are not his children and will need to be paid for their services.
01:31Not our child, not we bomb them, they are boys, they work together with us.
01:39We will come here propose to help.
01:41If you give 100,000, the boys, they will share it and save their own family.
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