It was a moment of despair and confusion in Maiduguri, the capital city of Borno, a northeastern state of Nigeria, when a major dam- Alau-collapsed Tuesday, rendering residents homeless and destroying major edifices and businesses whose worth could not be ascertained at the time of this report.
The development led to major roads, houses, and shops in the metropolis, and parts of the Jere local government area of the state, being submerged by flood.
Some notable public infrastructure submerged by the flood are the Shehu’s Palace, the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, and Sanda Kyarimi Park Zoo.
Similarly, the flood also brought down the prison wall situated along the Customs area, fueling fears that some of the inmates might have been drowned while several others survived by sheer luck.
Also, a couple of major roads within the state capital, including the Post-Office Roundabout linking other locations in the capital city, were flooded thereby bringing vehicular movement to a halt within the metropolis.
Also affected are Tashan Bama, Monday Market, Gamboru Market, Customs Area, Cattle Market in old Maiduguri, Gwange area, and Lagos Street, among several other communities.
The Maiduguri Zoo popularly known as Sanda Kyarimi Zoo Park was also flooded.
The general manager in charge of the zoo, Ali Abatcha, said 80% of the animals in the zoo were killed by the flood while the others escaped into the city capital.
Thousands of residents living along waterways and flood-prone areas have been displaced, the majority of whom are women and children, just as several shop owners and small-scale businesses also got caught up in the web of disaster.
Also, thousands of women and children are relocating along with their belongings with many taking refuge under trees on the major roads.
…BOSG reacts
Apart from the heavy downpour being experienced this year, the flood, according to multiple sources, is a result of leakage of the bank of Alau Dam, a major source of water supply to Maiduguri which draws its source from River Ngadda in Cameroon and the Lake Chad.
A state government source the last time the dam had such a problem was in 1994, leading to unprecedented flooding in Maiduguri with about half of the Maiduguri metropolis flooded.
In an early morning statement Tuesday, titled “Flooding Alert for River Bank Residents,” the state commissioner for information and internal security, Prof. Usman Tar, called for immediate evacuation.
“Due to the unusually high volume of water this year, we urge all the residents living along the river bank to take immediate action to protect themselves and their properties.
“The Alau Dam water has broken down another channel that is currently destroying farms and the water is heading toward the river bank,” the commissioner said.
He, therefore, urged the residents of the affected areas to follow evacuation routes to ensure safe passage.
…CSOs fear wild animals on the prowl
Also lamenting what former President Muhammadu Buhari called national calamity, the state-based CSOs described the situation as “very pathetic”.
Speaking through the chairman of CSOs, Lake-Chad Basin, Ahmed Shehu, they said the fate of the animals that escaped from Shehu Sanda Kyarimi Park was yet to be determined.
“The Maiduguri bypass bridge is also filled and the bridge is already flooded. The zoo road is being flooded with water and it’s gushing to College of Health Technology, Maiduguri, where students were already relocated to school of nursing. Also, the water is heading towards the commissioner of police junction through Damboa Road.
“The situation is so dire. The water flooded the zoo at midnight. Though no one can tell the situation of the animals, they will definitely scamper for safety and in the process cause harm to the community.
“It is the same water route that displaced people are taking, the animals will take too.
“Aside from wide animals escaping from the zoo, the Christians cemetery around Amb Baba Ahmed Jidda house in Old GRA has been submerged. This poses serious public health threats. Government needs to activate emergency response,” he said.
…FG offers relief
And in an intervention, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has ordered the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to assist the flood victims in parts of Maiduguri.
Tinubu, in a statement Tuesday by the presidential spokesman, Bayo Onanuga, expressed deep concern about the flooding.
The president extended his heartfelt condolences to the government and people of the state, especially to the families that lost their loved ones and means of livelihood due to the disaster triggered by the overflow of the Alo Dam.
The President called for the immediate evacuation of people from the affected areas.
He assured Governor Babagana Zulum of the federal government’s readiness to collaborate in addressing the immediate humanitarian needs of the affected people.
Tinubu also said he remained committed to mobilising federal resources to support the state during this difficult time.
…Ndume calls for urgent interventions
Also, Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume (APC Borno South ) has called for urgent interventions from both state and federal governments to mitigate the effects of the flood disaster.
Ndume had just returned from Borno state, where he reached out to families affected by insurgency in the Southern Senatorial District.
Expressing his sadness in a statement made available to newsmen Tuesday in Abuja, the former Senate Chief Whip said all hands must be on deck, including development partners and other agencies of government, to immediately mobilise and come to the aid of affected residents and homes in Maiduguri.
He said the state government, being very proactive, had already activated all mechanisms to salvage the situation by evaluating people from affected areas and providing the needed support.
The lawmaker, however, lamented that the gravity of the damage by the flood was beyond the state government, hence the need for the federal government to immediately step in and assist the residents in getting the needed support.
“Already, some institutions and government agencies have shut down. University of Maiduguri has been closed until further notice.
“The university management announced the temporary closure in a statement on Tuesday by its registrar, Ahmad A. Lawan, the institution, sympathised with staff members and students affected by the disaster.
“What has happened in my dear State capital, Maiduguri is unfortunate. The level of damage is very bad. I’ve been briefed, and what I’ve heard isn’t something we should take lightly.
“Homes, institutions, government agencies, and other businesses have been submerged in the flood. Many people are trapped and are trying to evacuate. I’m worried that the situation may get worse unless the federal government immediately steps in to assist the state government in salvaging the situation.
“I’m also calling on various international partners, development agencies, and other public spirited organisations , to give the necessary intervention”, he said .
…NGF commiserates with Niger, Borno, Yobe over fatal accident, flooding
Meanwhile, the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) Tuesday commiserate with the government and people of Niger state on the death of 48 people and several livestock in a petrol tanker explosion along Bida-Agaie-Lapai Highway in the state.
The NGF, in a statement personally issued by its chairman and governor of Kwara state, Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, commiserated with the families of the victims, prayed for the repose of their souls, and wished for safe recovery for those injured in the accident.
The forum said the incident again underscored the need for all road users to prioritise safety at all times.
The NGF similarly expressed its firm solidarity with the governments and people of Borno and Yobe states as flooding ravages parts of and displaces thousands of residents of Maiduguri city and Jere (both in Borno) and some local government areas of Yobe.
“The NGF stands with the governments and residents of the affected areas on this natural disaster,” AbdulRazaq said.
The forum commended the swift efforts of the federal government and the states’ authorities to bring immediate succour to the victims.
…Northern govs too
In the same vein, Chairman of the Northern States Governors’ Forum and Governor of Gombe state, Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, Tuesday, extended members’ heartfelt sympathy to the government and people of Borno state over the flooding disaster.
A press statement Tuesday by Director-General Press Affairs Government House Gombe, Ismaila Uba Misilli, quoted the governor as, on behalf of the 19 northern governors, extending assurances of solidarity and support to Governor Zulum and the people of Borno state, particularly those affected by the flooding.
He also expressed concern for other states in the North and across Nigeria facing similar flooding incidents, urging the federal government and humanitarian organizations to bolster their relief efforts.
The governor commended the swift response of the Borno state government and the efforts of emergency responders and other volunteers on the ground.
However, given the scale of destruction, the NSGF Chairman called on the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and other relevant agencies to intensify their interventions to provide relief to affected residents, particularly women, children, and vulnerable groups.
He prayed for the protection and well-being of all affected communities, trusting that with collective action, the people will overcome this challenge and rebuild stronger.