Maiduguri Flood: Over 30 Dead, 400,000 Displaced After Alau Dam Collapse — NEMA

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has said that over 30 people have died, and more than 400,000 displaced following devastating floods in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital.

The Alau Dam, which had reached full capacity for over a week, collapsed earlier in the week and resulted in flooding.

Thousands of residents were forced to flee their homes as water swept through neighbourhoods such as Fori, Galtimari, Gwange, and Bulabulin, causing destruction of properties and infrastructure.

In response to the disaster, the Borno State government set up multiple camps for internally displaced persons (IDPs) across the state.

According to NEMA’s spokesperson, Manzo Ezekiel, over 100,000 people are currently housed in the camps, with the total number of displaced persons exceeding 400,000.

Ezekiel noted that the agency is working with stakeholders to support the victims and return them to their homes after the flood.

He said, “As of two days ago, our records show that not less than 30 people have died in Maiduguri town alone. The displaced persons are not less than 400,000, and those living in various camps exceed 100,000.”

Meanwhile, the North-East Development Commission (NEDC) has pledged to collaborate with other government agencies to provide relief to the flood victims.

On Tuesday, NEDC’s Managing Director, Mohammed Goni Alkali, along with his management team, visited the affected areas to assess the situation firsthand.

Alkali assured the victims that the commission would provide temporary relief until a full investigation and assessment could be completed.

Borno State Governor, Prof. Babagana Umara Zulum, said on Wednesday that nearly one million residents were affected by the floods. He supervised the distribution of cash and cooked meals to displaced residents taking refuge in the Bukassi camp in Maiduguri.

“As of now, we are yet to ascertain the extent of damage, but about one fourth of the entire Maiduguri is flooded with water. The population affected is up to 1 million, what we are doing this morning is to provide immediate succor, which is good and non food items,” he said.

Zulum expressed concern over potential health crises, noting that flooded sewages could lead to waterborne diseases. “The Health Emergency Committee has been set up to prevent flood-related epidemics in Maiduguri and Jere city,” Zulum said, adding that “one-fourth of the entire Maiduguri is flooded with water.”

The governor also confirmed that search and rescue operations were ongoing, with efforts focused on determining the full extent of the damage to lives and property.

“Data will be collected immediately to assist the affected persons,” he had said.