Many residents of Maiduguri living on waterways and victims of the September 2024 flooding which destroyed lives and property, and displaced many, are still occupying their houses despite warning from the state government that they should vacate the areas during the rainy season.
A resident of Fori area of Maiduguri, one of the areas that was submerged during the disaster, Umar Abdullahi, said they are still occupying their houses because they have no money to go and build another house elsewhere, adding that the present economic hardship in the country contributed to their decision.
“We are close to Fori bridge which collapsed last year during the flood and is being reconstructed now by Borno State Government and the North East Development Commission (NEDC). As of today, the water level in the bridge has increased, but we are still occupying our houses because we have no place to go. We want government to assist us in form of compensation considering the present difficult condition of living so that we can rent apartments elsewhere, or building our own houses with what we have,” he said.
Similarly, Yakubu Abubakar, a resident of Gwange 1 area of Maiduguri, one of the areas affected by the September 10th, 2024 flood, said that they fled their homes during the flood and returned after the water had receded. He said even though government warned them against occupying the area, especially those close to Gwange Bridge, they are still there because they have no place of their own to relocate.
Meanwhile, insisting on the warning for people living on waterways to vacate their houses following widespread fear of flood as a result of persistent rainfall and increasing level of water in the Alau Dam, Borno State governor, Babagana Zulum has assured residents that the state government is taking adequate measures to ensure that what occurred in September 10, 2024, when Maiduguri and its environs were submerged by flood resulting from the collapse of dykes in Alau Dam would not repeat again.
In a proactive move to enhance flood disaster preparedness and response, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), North East Zonal Office Maiduguri, in collaboration with the Borno State Emergency Management Agency (BOSEMA), has engaged with stakeholders on flood response in the state.
The zonal coordinator, Borno and Yobe states, Abdullahi Garba Surajo, said the engagement was conducted in partnership with relevant stakeholders including North East Development Commission (NEDC), Chad Basin, German Humanitarian Assistance, International Rescue Committee, IOM UN Migration, BOAID, CCCM Cluster, Caritas Germany, Caritas Nigeria, and JDPC.
