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What You Should Know About Maiduguri Flood

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Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, was hit by severe floods with the collapse of the Alau Dam Tuesday morning after torrential rainfalls in the region.

Below is a list of what we know about the flood

Alau Dam

The Alau Dam which is located in the Jere Local Government Area, some 20km away from the metropolis, broke out on Tuesday morning causing flooding along the riverine areas including major roads, zoos, schools, hospitals and other public facilities.

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Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum, blamed the flood on the overflow of Alau Dam which was caused by the release of water from other dams in Cameroon.

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has described the flood as unprecedented.

“It is an unprecedented incident,” NEMA spokesman Ezekiel Manzo told AFP on Tuesday. “Some of the central parts of the city that have not witnessed flood in so many years are witnessing it today.”

History Repeating Itself?

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30 years ago, Maiduguri experienced a flood which the people of Borno tagged “Ambaliya”. The flood ravaged a lot of communities and businesses. And 30 years after, another flood rocked the state as a result of explosion from the Alau dam.

But this time around, the United Nations Human Rights Refugee Council (UNHCR) and residents of the Maiduguri Metropolitan Council (MMC) described the flood as the city’s worst experience when compared to the flood that swept the city in 1994.

“NE Nigeria’s humanitarian hub, Maiduguri, faces its worst flood in 30 years after the Alau Dam overflowed. Homes are submerged, schools shut down & businesses crippled as people evacuate with their belongings,” the refugee council said on its X handle.

Over One Million Displaced

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According to the governor, over one million people have been displaced by the devastating floods.

A lot of these people have had to flee their homes to dry lands thus seeking refuge in Internally Displaced Peoples (IDP) Camps located along the western hemisphere of the metropolis.

NEMA and other humanitarian bodies are working tirelessly to rescue those who are still trapped in their homes as well as provide shelter for those who have been evacuated.

80% Animals Dead

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The Sanda Kyarimi Zoo Park was also not spared from the floods as some wild animals have escaped from captivity.

According to the General Manager of the Zoo, Ali Abatcha, 80 per cent of the animals in the zoo have been killed by the flood while others have escaped into the city.

Footage circulating on social media shows an ostrich walking one of the streets of Maiduguri. There are reports that snakes and crocodiles have also been seen moving in the flood.

Over 280 Inmates Escape Detention

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Over 280 inmates have escaped from the Maiduguri Medium Security Custodial Centre located in the Abaganaran area after severe flooding submerged the prison. The flood breached security barriers and weakened the structure leading to a jailbreak.

Authorities and residents have expressed concern that many of the escapees are highly dangerous thus posing a threat to public safety.

Nevertheless, a statement from the spokesman for the service, Umar Abubakar, disclosed that the federal government is working to evacuate the correctional centre.

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Just in: AEDC restores power in some parts of Abuja

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By Mario Deepromoter

The power outages Nigerians experienced on Monday evening have been restored in some parts of Abuja Electricity Distribution Company franchise areas.

A check carried out by NAN revealed that places like Deidei, Suleja, Lugbe, Kuje and other areas had their light restored on Tuesday at about 5:15 am.

Customers in the AEDC were told of the disruption in supply, which was attributed to the collapse of the National grid.

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In a statement on its Twitter handle on Monday, the company said that the system collapse occurred at about 6.58 pm.

Be rest assured that we are working with relevant stakeholders to restore power as soon the grid stabilises,” it said.

NAN

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Bayero v Sanusi: Court of Appeal fixes new date To hear Kano Emirship dispute

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By Mario Deepromoter

The Court of Appeal in Abuja has set October 17 for the hearing of appeals related to the ongoing emirship tussle in Kano State.

The dispute centres around the appointment of the Emir of Kano, a position that has sparked legal challenges involving several parties.

A three-member panel of justices, led by Justice Mohammed Mustapha, reserved judgment on Monday after listening to submissions from the lawyers involved.

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The two major appeals are filed by Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero against the Attorney General of Kano State and 10 others, as well as a separate case involving the Kano State House of Assembly versus Alhaji Aminu Babba Dan Agundi and six others.

The hearing will also address a motion to stay the execution of the July 25 judgment concerning the enforcement of fundamental rights.

A Federal High Court in Kano, presided over by Justice Abdullahi Liman, has nullified Governor Abba Yusuf’s decision to depose Emir Ado Bayero and appoint Muhammadu Sanusi II on May 23.

The court also held as “null and void” the Kano Emirate Council (Repeal) Bill, 2024, passed by the Kano State House of Assembly, which voided Bayero’s seat.

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The judge said, “The above action violates the order of this court earlier stated,” adding “The balance of convenience is on the applicant herein (Alhaji Aminu Babba Dan Agundi).”

However , the ruling comes as a Kano State High Court had also restrained Ado Bayero from acting as the emir.

NAN

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Super Eagles: Tunisian Pilot Narrates How Plane Was Diverted

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By Mario Deepromoter

Tunisian pilot who flew the Super Eagles team to Libya reveals he was instructed by Libyan authority to divert the plane to a different location.

According to the pilot, the original flight plan was to land the aircraft in Benghazi, Libya, as approved by the aviation authorities. But later they were suddenly directed by officials to divert to another airport just as they neared their destination.

“The flight plan was to land in Benghazi. We got the approval from the Libyan civil aviation authority that we were approved to land,” the pilot explained. “But unfortunately, when we started the descent, they asked us to divert to Mitiga, which is almost 150 miles (300 km) away. This was not even our alternate airport.”

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The pilot said he warned the officials that the diversion would have severely impacted their fuel reserves, and could compromise the safety of the flight.

I asked them several times, at least eight times, and I warned them that I would be in trouble for the fuel situation,” the pilot recounted. “They said it was from the highest authority and that we had to divert to Mitiga immediately.”

The pilot later complied with the directive. Thankfully, the aircraft landed safely in Mitiga with no challenges.

This revelation comes hours after Super Eagles players reported that had been mistreated by Libyan authorities ahead of their Tuesday match, which they later boycotted and flew back home after being held hostage for 20 hours.

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In a series of tweets early Monday morning, Super Eagles captain William Troost-Ekong described the situation as “disgraceful,” accusing the hosts of playing “mind games.”

He revealed that the team was kept in an abandoned airport with no access to food, drink, or phone connections.

Nigeria defeated Libya 1-0 at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo on Friday, October 11. Both nations were scheduled to play the return leg in Libya on October 15.

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