Maiduguri, Borno State was hit by severe flooding early Tuesday morning, submerging the Palace of the Shehu of Borno, Alhaji Garbai Elkenemi, and other parts of the city. The Shehu has been forced to evacuate his residence and seek refuge at the Government House.
Residents reported widespread damage, particularly in areas such as Lagos Street, Modugari, Post Office, and Gwange, where many are struggling to salvage their belongings and seek safety.
A resident from Kofar Shehu expressed disbelief, saying, “This is shocking! I have never seen anything like this before. Even the Shehu had to leave his palace for the Government House.”
Victim Usman Babagana noted that although there were early warnings of potential flooding, many residents did not evacuate due to a lack of alternative shelter. “We were warned about the flood, but we didn’t take it seriously because we had nowhere else to go,” he said.
Buba Jibril, a pedestrian caught in the flood near the Post Office, described it as the worst he has experienced during his time in Maiduguri. He expressed concern about the potential for severe hardship resulting from the disaster.
The flooding follows a series of recent natural disasters in Nigeria, including earlier incidents in Anambra and Yobe.
Hyelsinta Hassan