SAHARA REPORTERS
A devastating flood disaster has displaced at least 400,000 people in Maiduguri, Borno State, after hundreds of houses and properties were submerged in water.
The disaster was predicted and preventable, but the government’s inaction and false reassurances exacerbated the situation.
Governor Babagana Umara Zulum’s administration was warned about the impending disaster days in advance, but his administration chose to downplay the risks.
Following the warnings, a high-level delegation led by Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Bukar Tijani, inspected the Alau Dam on September 5 and assured the public that Maiduguri was safe and that measures were being taken to prevent flooding.
However, their reassurances proved false, and the dam’s collapse on Tuesday, just days after the inspection, caused widespread destruction and displacement. The government’s failure to take adequate measures to mitigate the disaster has been widely criticized, with many questioning why more was not done to prevent the tragedy.
The devastating flooding has now left thousands of residents stranded and displaced, causing immense suffering and heartbreak. This incident raises serious questions about the competence and effectiveness of the state government in safeguarding the welfare of its citizens.
Alau Dam on the Ngadda river, has a capacity of 112 million cubic meters. Its collapse on Tuesday caused some of the state’s worst flooding since the same dam collapsed 30 years ago, and prompted residents to flee their homes.
The Alau Dam, which supports irrigation and supplies tap water to Maiduguri and Jere Local Government Area, showed signs of distress earlier in September, causing damage to nearby farmland and communities.
Despite this, the government’s response was inadequate, and the people were given false hope that the situation was under control.
Meanwhile the authorities announced on Wednesday that at least 30 people had been killed and more than one million others affected.
The state government said the dam was at capacity due to unusually high rains, warning that death toll was expected to rise.
The current flooding comes nearly two years after Nigeria’s worst flooding in a decade killed more than 600 people across the country.
Ezekiel Manzo, spokesman for the National Emergency Management Agency, on Wednesday put the death toll at 30.
“One million people have been affected so far,” said an aide to Governor Zulum, adding that as efforts to document displaced people began, the number could rise to nearly two million.
Governor Zulum confirmed that about one million people were affected by the flood.
The governor expressed concern about the outbreak of waterborne illnesses due to the flooding of sewage systems.
“You can see how water completely flooded the area, sewages were completely flooded, that means waterborne diseases would be transmitted but Insha Allah we should get over it.
“As of now, we are yet to ascertain the extent of damage, but about one-fourth of the entire Maiduguri is flooded with water,” he said.
It is understood that despite prior assessments of the dam and reassurances by the Secretary to the Government, Bukar Tijjani, residents are now grappling with the consequences of what seems to be inadequate preventive measures.
The fact that the state government failed to mitigate the disaster after claiming there was ‘no cause for alarm’ highlights a gap between promises made and actual outcomes, deepening frustrations among the affected population.
He said, “There have been a lot of worries as well as speculations that the whole Dam has broken down, but the dam has not broken down.
“We have been to Alau Dam on behalf of His Excellency, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum, Executive Governor of Borno State.
“Borno State Government is partnering very strongly with the managers of Alau Dam. We have discussed and seen what to do, but the rumour of Maiduguri being flooded is not there,” he assured.
This failure to act in a timely and effective manner calls into question the competence of the state government and also erodes citizens’ trust in its ability to safeguard their welfare.
Residents, who had relied on the government’s assurance that measures would be put in place, now find themselves displaced and without adequate support.
With early warning signs available, the failure to respond with the necessary urgency appears to reflect a disregard for the safety of citizens, increasing feelings of abandonment and distrust.
Moreover, recent data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) reveals that Borno State had received N1.68 billion in ecological fund allocations over the past year, making it the second-highest recipient.
Given these substantial financial resources, the question as to why the funds were not utilised to prevent such a disaster arises.
The lack of transparency and proper allocation of ecological funds, particularly in a state already grappling with environmental degradation due to insurgency, raises serious concerns about Borno’s governance and financial management practices.
In the long term, such inaction and mismanagement can severely damage public trust, deepening the existing trust deficit between the government and citizens.
The people of Borno have faced years of hardship due to insurgency, and now, with environmental disasters adding to their plight, the government’s inability to protect them from predictable risks will likely result in increased public dissatisfaction and skepticism toward its commitment to addressing their needs.
An X user, Masu Zafi, blamed Prof. Zulum’s appointees for compelling him to offer a false hope to his people.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), she wrote: “Nigerian leaders have a nonchallant attitude towards their job of protecting their people. In the same Borno State, Vice President Shettima ignored intelligence report over safety of the Chibok girls that were kidnapped from their school during examination.
“Many lives would have been saved if Governor Zulum had not falsely assured the people of safety as he did.”
The situation highlights the need for greater accountability, transparency, and proactive measures to address potential disasters, rather than mere reassurances that ultimately prove false.
THIS STORY FIRST APPEARED IN SAHARA REPORTERS
