At least 30 people have died, and around 400,000 others have been displaced due to severe flooding in Maiduguri, the capital of Borno State in northeastern Nigeria. The devastating floods were caused by the rupture of the Alau dam on the Ngadda River, located approximately 20 kilometers south of the city.
The flooding has submerged around 40% of Maiduguri, sweeping away thousands of homes and leaving residents stranded.
“The situation in Maiduguri is quite frightening. The death toll is 30, and the flood has taken over large parts of the city. People have been forced out of their homes and are scattered everywhere,” said Ezekiel Manzo, a spokesman for the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA).
NEMA’s Zubaida Umar emphasized the severity of the crisis, noting that over 23,000 households have been affected, with more than 150,000 people directly hit by the rapidly rising waters.
“We have 414,000 displaced people, and we fear that number could reach one million,” Umar said.
The flood has significantly impacted the city, which already struggles with the humanitarian challenges posed by a decade-long jihadist insurgency. Maiduguri serves as a hub for relief efforts in the region, but the floods have exacerbated the situation, overwhelming local resources.
In response, NEMA has mobilized support, sending mobile clinics with medical supplies and doctors from the military hospital to assist those in need at the displacement camps.
“This is important because the main hospital in Maiduguri has also been affected by the flood,” Umar explained.
Additionally, canoes and fishermen have been deployed to rescue trapped residents, while water trucks have been dispatched to provide clean water to prevent outbreaks of water-borne diseases.
The flooding is reported to be the worst Maiduguri has experienced in 30 years, according to the UN refugee agency in Nigeria. The devastation has left many residents in dire straits, with some unable to locate their loved ones.
“I have nowhere to go. I haven’t seen any of them, even my siblings, both young and old, and I can’t reach them on the phone. We are appealing to the governor to help us,” said Maryam Musa, a resident who lost contact with her relatives during the disaster.
Borno State Governor Babagana Umara Zulum has visited one of the displacement camps and announced that each affected household would receive 10,000 naira (approximately $6) along with food and non-food aid. The governor also acknowledged the need to rebuild and strengthen the dam to prevent future disasters.
For those who have survived the flood, the road to recovery is long and uncertain.
Aisha Aliyu, who made it to one of the eight camps NEMA has set up, shared her distress: “I never pray for even my enemy to experience such a thing.”