A humanitarian crisis is looming in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, after flood ravaged a large part of the metropolis, leaving thousands of residents trapped.
LEADERSHIP gathered from officials that scores have been killed as a result of the flood, while prisoners have also escaped.
It was also gathered that graveyards had been submerged while dangerous animals had crept into the communities, of which about 75 per cent had been taken over by water.
The Shehu of Borno’s palace, the state Secretariat, Customs, the State Specialist Hospital, UNIMAID, and Gwange areas have been submerged by floodwaters following the collapse of the Alau Dam in the Konduga local government area of Borno State.
Millionaires’ Quarters around Gamboru Ward and its environs are consumed. The famous Lagos bridge, which was taken over by the flood, has also been blocked, as has the Moduganari bypass bridge, which has also been submerged.
The Zoo Road was also flooded, with water gushing into the College of Health Technology Maiduguri, where students had already been relocated to the School of Nursing. The water also flowed towards the Commissioner of Police junction via Damboa Road.
The popular Maiduguri Zoo, Shehu Sanda Kyarimi Park, was also submerged in the early hours of the night, forcing staff to relocate to a safe place. Many animals in the zoo, including snakes and crocodiles, have strayed through the water channels, raising apprehension among residents who are scrambling to remove their properties floating on the raging flood.
The situation was so dire that it was worse than the previous one of 1994, exactly 30 years ago.
Meanwhile, Comrade Bulama Abiso, the executive director of the Network of Civil Society Organisations in Borno State, has called for humanitarian support for the flood victims.
Abiso noted that the flooding has left numerous families devastated and homeless, with a particularly severe impact on women and children. He further called on all Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and Community-based Organisations (CBOs) under its wing to assist the affected communities.
In the meantime, the Borno State government has reopened the closed Bakassi Internally Displaced Persons camp in Maiduguri for the relocation of citizens displaced by the flood.
…Zoo Animals Dead
About 80 per cent of animals in the famous Sanda Kyari Zoo in Maiduguri have been pronounced dead, and a lot of properties destroyed following the flooding that erupted on Monday night as a result of the collapse of the Alau Dam in the Konduga local government area.
A statement issued in Maiduguri on Tuesday by the zoo’s general manager, Ali Abacha, disclosed that deadly animals such as crocodiles and snakes had been washed away into the communities; hence, he called on communities to take necessary precautions to avoid the animals.
Meanwhile, the University of Maiduguri and Borno State University have been shut down due to the raging flood that struck Maiduguri. Many communities have been overtaken, and residents have fled.
A statement issued on Tuesday in Maiduguri by the acting senior assistant registrar II of BOSU, Fatima Muhammad Audu, said the institution had to comply with the circular of the Borno State Ministry of Education, Science and Technology and Innovation to close the University from Tuesday, 10th September, to Monday, 16th September, 2024.
Similarly, the University of Maiduguri has announced a temporary suspension of lectures and closure of offices until the flood subsides in Maiduguri.
This was contained in a statement issued on Tuesday in Maiduguri by the university’s registrar, Ahmed Lawan, which our correspondent obtained.
In a related development, the Borno State government, through the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology and Innovation, has directed the statewide closure of all schools, both public and private, until Monday, 23rd September 2024.
The closure was contained in a statement issued in Maiduguri by the acting director of schools services, Grema Bulama, on behalf of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Education, obtained by LEADERSHIP.
…Tinubu Orders Evacuation
President Bola Tinubu has expressed deep concern about the flooding in parts of Maiduguri, the capital of Borno State.
Seen as the worst in recent decades, the flood has displaced thousands of residents and affected facilities such as the Post Office and the Maiduguri Teaching Hospital.
Over 200 Inmates Escape As Flood Submerges Borno Prison
No fewer than 200 prisoners escaped on Tuesday following the severe flood that submerged the Nigeria Correctional Service in Maiduguri, resulting in a jailbreak.
Sources said the flooding has caused extensive damage to the prison facility, adding that the raging flood has breached security barriers and weakened structural supports, allowing the over 200 inmates to break free from their confinement.
Sources revealed that the Maiduguri New Prison, which is situated along Abaganaran area of the metropolis, is hosting inmates such as the embattled lawyer and humanitarian, Aisha Wakil, known as Mama Boko Haram, who is serving her jail term in the prison over issues bordering on fraud and obtaining by pretence.
Authorities have confirmed that the escapees are considered highly dangerous and may be armed, heightening the threat to public safety.
However, a manhunt is said to be underway to locate and recapture the escaped inmates, with law enforcement agencies mobilising additional resources.
When contacted to confirm the situation at the prison, the public relations officer of the NCS in Maiduguri, which comprises the New Prison and Maiduguri Maximum Prison, Mr Bala Adamu, said he was having a meeting on the phone with the national PRO and would get back after that, but did not return the call at the time of filing this report.
President Tinubu, in a statement by his spokesman, Bayo Onanuga, extended his heartfelt condolences to the government and people of the state, especially to the families that have lost their means of livelihood due to the disaster triggered by the overflow of the Alau Dam.
While relevant authorities are still assessing the damage wrought by the flood, the president called for the immediate evacuation of people from affected areas.
President Tinubu assured Governor Babagana Umara Zulum that the federal government wa ready to collaborate to address the immediate humanitarian needs of the affected people.
He ordered the National Emergency Management Agency to assist the flood victims.
…Nigeria To Intensify Flood Mitigation – Shettima
Vice President Kashim Shettima has assured that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration will tackle the challenges of floods in Nigeria.
The Vice President, who gave the assurance in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, on Tuesday, noted that though the factors leading to the ravaging flood and other recurring disasters in the country are diverse, President Tinubu has already developed a comprehensive roadmap aimed at addressing these challenges head-on.
The Shettima is in Maiduguri for an on-the-spot assessment of the ravaging floods that have displaced communities in the state.
Commiserating with the victims of the flood disaster, he said that President Tinubu not only expressed his “deepest sympathies” but had also assured that the federal government will prioritise the welfare of the affected communities.
It’s a National Calamity – Buhari
Former President Muhammadu Buhari has sent his commiserations to the government and people of Borno and other states following severe floods caused by incessant downpours, describing the situation as a national calamity.
The former President said he had heard of the widespread devastation of homes and farmland and the loss of life in Borno and several other states of the federation, describing it as a national calamity.
Buhari expressed his hope that the relief measures taken by the various governments would provide comfort and help those who had lost their family members and livelihoods to resume their everyday lives.