The Borno State Government has reassured residents of Maiduguri and surrounding areas that the city is not at risk of severe flooding, despite the overflow of Alau Dam, which has caused localized flooding in parts of Maiduguri and Jere.
Alau Dam, with a reservoir capacity of 112 million cubic meters, was originally designed to support irrigation and provide tap water to Maiduguri Metropolitan and Jere local government areas. While some residential areas have been affected by the dam’s overflow, the dam itself remains intact.
Alhaji Bukar Tijani, Secretary to the Borno State Government, visited Alau Dam on Thursday to assess the situation and the resulting damage. He assured residents that there is no breach in the dam’s structure and emphasized that the state government is collaborating closely with the Chad Basin Development Authority to mitigate further flooding risks.
“There have been many worries and speculations that the entire dam has broken down, but I assure you that it has not,” Tijani said. He added that the state government, under the leadership of Governor Babagana Umara Zulum, is committed to taking all necessary steps to safeguard Maiduguri from flooding.
Governor Zulum dispatched a high-powered delegation, led by Tijani, to evaluate the impact of the overflow at Alau Dam. The delegation included key officials such as Engr Baba Bukar Gujibawu, Special Adviser to the Governor on Monitoring and Evaluation, Engr Adam Bababe, Executive Secretary of Borno Geographic Information Service, Engr Sadu Auno, Executive Secretary of the Borno State Road Maintenance Agency, and Dr. Mohammed Saidu Barkindo, Director General of the State Emergency Management Agency.
During the briefing, Engr Mohammed Zannah, the acting Managing Director of Chad Basin Development Authority, confirmed that despite the high water levels and overflow, the situation does not pose a severe threat to Maiduguri. Zannah assured that all necessary measures are in place to control the water levels and prevent further damage.
