No fewer than eight buildings collapsed, a graveyard was submerged, and residents were displaced after three hours of steady, heavy downpour on Wednesday in Maiduguri and environs.
Many areas, like Bulumkutu, Damboa, and Moduganari in Maiduguri, were heavily flooded after the rain, while a graveyard in Jajeri in Jere local government area of the State, which was submerged by the flood, has caused people to be apprehensive.
A resident of Jajeri, where the public graveyard was submerged, who did not mention his name in a video circulating online, appealed to the Borno State government to come to their aid to address the flood and the damage in the graveyard, which has collapsed, with the majority of them.
“We are calling on the state government to come to our aid and act fast, as many of the graves in the graveyard are collapsing after the rainfall. This is beyond our control.
Meanwhile, the Borno State Police Command has swiftly carried out on-the-scene assessments and deployed patrol teams across the impacted and deployed patrol teams across impacted areas.
A statement issued to Journalists in Maiduguri by the State’s Police Public Relations Officer ( PPRO ), ASP Nahum Kenneth Daso, said that in the wake of the heavy rainfall that affected parts of Maiduguri, Gomari, Bulumkutu, Jidari, Ibrahim Taiwo ( ITE ), and others, the Borno State Police Command has swiftly carried out on-the-scene assessments and deployed patrol teams across the impacted areas.
He said,” Unfortunately, Eight Buildings collapsed, but no casualties were recorded.”
Daso said to forestall any breakdown of law and order, the Command has stationed officers at strategic locations to protect evacuated homes and properties from potential looting or criminal activities.
He said the operations were coordinated by the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of Operations, DC Garba Audu Bosso, alongside ACP Jawi Muhammed and several Divisional Police Officers within Maiduguri Metropolis.
The PPRO added that the Commissioner of Police, CP Naziru Abdulmajid, commended the swift response of the officers involved and called on residents to remain calm and law-abiding.
“He also urged parents and guardians to monitor their children closely and prevent them from playing in floodwaters, as such behaviour poses serious risks to their safety.
Daso further said that the Borno State Police Command remains committed to the safety and security of all residents and will continue to respond promptly to any emergencies as they arise.
Our correspondent reports that this current flooding is occurring 10 months after the September 10th flood disaster, which destroyed homes, lives, and public infrastructure in Maiduguri and environs and displaced over a million residents.
The Alau Dam collapsed its dykes, causing the disaster. Since the incident, it has been undergoing rehabilitation, with many citizens calling on the federal government to expedite action in rebuilding the dam.
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