Flooding: Maiduguri Is Safe And Not Under Threat, Says Borno Government

The Borno State Government has assured residents of Maiduguri and surrounding areas that the area will not be submerged by water while efforts are underway to control seasonal flooding caused by the overflow of Alau Dam.

The Alau Dam, with a reservoir capacity of 112 million cubic meters, was built to support irrigation activities along the Alau River and to supply tap water to Maiduguri Metropolitan and Jere local government areas.

Parts of Maiduguri and Jere are currently flooded as the Alau Dam overflows into residential areas.

Alhaji Bukar Tijani, Secretary to the Borno State Government, who visited the Alau Dam on Thursday to assess the damage caused by the current overflow, assured residents that the dam was not broken.

The SSG also stated that the state government is working with the Chad Basin Development Authority to protect Maiduguriri from flooding.

He stated, “There have been many worries and speculations that the entire dam has broken down, but the dam has not broken down.”

“We visited Alau Dam on behalf of His Excellency, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum, the Executive Governor of Borno State.

“The Borno State Government is working closely with the managers of the Alau Dam. We have discussed and decided what to do, but the rumour of Maiduguri being flooded is false,” he assured.

Governor Babagana Umara Zulum has dispatched a high-level delegation to assess the impact of water overflow at Alau Dam, which is threatening the Maiduguri Metropolis and its surroundings.

Alhaji Bukar Tijani, Secretary of the Borno State Government, led the delegation. On Thursday, Engr Mohammed Zannah, the acting Managing Director of the Chad Basin Development Authority (CBDA), received them at Alau Dam.

The delegation includes Engr Baba Bukar Gujibawu, SA to the Governor on Monitoring and Evaluation; Engr Adam Bababe, Executive Secretary, Borno Geographic Information Service; Engr Sadu Auno, Executive Secretary, Borno State Road Maintenance Agency; and Dr Mohammed Saidu Barkindo, Director General of the State Emergency Management Agency.

While briefing the SSG, Zannah stated that, despite the high water level in the river, which caused the overflow, the current conditions do not pose a serious threat to the city, and that all necessary measures have been put in place to control the situation.