Why Maiduguri is flooded — Federal Government

The Federal Government has given reasons why Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, is flooded.

The Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Engineer Joseph Utsev, offered the reason at a news briefing in Abuja on Friday.

Utsev explained that the flood was not as a result of the collapse of Alau Dam as earlier reported.

According to the minister, Alau Dam, located in Maiduguri, remains intact.

The Minister said: “We didn’t actually envisage that the water level this year will be of this magnitude.

“Because of climate change, the downpour was in excess, and the rivers could not actually contain the water.

“So, more water than was unexpected spilled into Alau Dam, and spilled over the dyke.

“Alau Dam did not collapse. 

“It was one of the dykes that could not hold excess water coming from the tributaries.

“So it overflowed the dam.

“So, this flood disaster that affected Maiduguri and Jere areas of Borno State was largely due to overflow of water from Alau Dam, which is about 10km from Maiduguri city centre, owing to massive inflow from Ngadda river, a major tributary of River Yedzaram.”

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Utsev further explained that more flooding should be expected this year.

He added: “As we mourn the losses in Borno, Yobe, Jigawa, Bauchi and other states affected by flooding, the attention of Nigerians is hereby drawn to the probable flooding on rivers Niger and Benue and some of their tributaries.

“The daily flow on these rivers indicates significant increase in flow levels tending towards red alert.

“This warning means that a large volume of water is moving through our rivers down to the delta region.

“Therefore, we should increase vigilance on all ramifications and step up proactive measures to address any eventual flooding events in the southern part of the country.”