President Bola Tinubu arrived in Maiduguri, Borno State, on Monday afternoon to offer his condolences and support following a devastating flood that has severely impacted the city.
The President landed at 3:40 pm and promptly visited an emergency camp to meet with those displaced by the disaster.
At the camp, President Tinubu assured the flood victims of his government’s support. “I want to assure you that we are going to support you, we will support you. God Bless you,” he stated.
Accompanying President Tinubu were Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Minister of Agriculture Abubakar Kyari, and other key aides. The President was greeted at the Maiduguri Air Force Base by several dignitaries, including the Inspector General of Police Kayode Egbetokun, who had been inspecting police facilities affected by the flood earlier in the day.
Also present were the Chairman of the Governors’ Forum Abdulrahman Abdulrazak, PDP Governors’ Forum Chairman Bala Mohammed, and the Governors of Kogi State Ahmed Ododo and Sokoto State Ahmed Aliyu.
Despite heavy rain, President Tinubu also visited the palace of the Shehu of Borno. In the condolence register, he wrote, “My thoughts and prayers are with the families who have lost loved ones, homes, and livelihoods in the catastrophe. I stand with the resilient people of Borno and assure you of the continuous support of the Federal Government in providing support and relief as we work together to rebuild lives and restore hope.”
The visit follows severe flooding in Maiduguri, which has reportedly claimed at least 30 lives and displaced approximately 400,000 people. National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) spokesperson Ezekiel Manzo confirmed the death toll and described the situation as “quite frightening.” NEMA colleague Zubaida Umar added that the flood had overtaken around 40 percent of the city, and the number of displaced could reach up to one million.
The UN refugee agency has described the flooding as the worst to hit Maiduguri in 30 years. Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno State, speaking to Channels Television, indicated that the exact number of casualties is still unknown due to ongoing rescue efforts in inaccessible areas. He highlighted the neglect of the dam as a significant challenge and emphasized that reconstruction efforts will be made.
“We have to quantify the loss of lives that has happened as a result of this flooding because up till now we have some areas that we can’t have access to, but rescue missions are ongoing,” Governor Zulum said.
