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TEARS FOR MY PEOPLE IN BORNO AND ANGER AT THE RAGING WATERS OF ALAU DAM
TEARS FOR MY PEOPLE IN BORNO AND ANGER AT THE RAGING WATERS OF ALAU DAM
By: Inuwa Bwala
A similar thing happened thirty years ago, precisely on the 4th of September, 1994; if I am not mistaken.
To date, nobody could give the exact number of human casualties, while the material loss was put at over a hundred million naira, conservatively.
Thirty years ago, the technology to predict such disasters were as not as sophisticated as today’s, but the media then had reported extensively of an impending flood in Maiduguri.
Long before the rains came this time around, weather forecasts point to the possibility of irregular patterns of rainfall, which could result into floods across 22 states in Nigeria.
Borno being amongst the 22 states likely to be affected by floods took some steps to avert the disaster or at least mitigate it’s effects.
Only two weeks ago, the State Governor, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum directed for the activation of all state government machineries to arrest possible disasters arising from the envisaged flood.
The Borno State Geographic Information Service, BOGIS, has been busy clearing buildings across water ways, and insisting on creating a free flow of water for the river Gadambul, which had hitherto been the source of previous floods.
But while the Government and Borno citizens were looking in another direction, the floods came from a less envisaged angle: the Alau dam, on the outskirts of the ancient city.
Reminiscent of the 4th September 1994 flood disaster in the ancient city, the floods came with the ferocity of a storm.
Most residents were caught napping as the flood creeped in while they were still sleeping.
As happened in the past, nobody may be able to give the exact number of casualties, as most families are still taking stock of their loss, at the time of writting.
Media reports indicate that over 40% of the city has been submerged by the flood, with vital facilities affected.
At the last count, the Shehu’s palace, the main cemetery at Gwange, the University of Naiduguri Teaching Hospital, the Maiduguri new Prisons, Mosques and Churches, business areas and private residences have been affected.
The Sanda Kyarimi park is not spared, with wild animals either perished or dangerously prowling in the waters.
Reports say inmates may have escaped from the Correctional facilities and definitely dead bodies in the cemetry will be washed up to the surface.
I was moved with pity as I watched the Vice President Kashim Shettima navigating through the flood to assess the situation and give assurances to people, that, the Federal Government will collaborate with the Borno State Government to provide succour.
More pitiable are the hundreds of thousands of residents, who have moved to higher grounds, or could be seen squatting by the flowing water.
Many people were not lucky to have rescued food items, clothing and beddings.
Most, if not all of them are not sure of their next meal, nor where to lay their heads.
Children could be seen clinging to the aprons and wrappers of their struggling parents, crying from hunger. The parents themselves look confused as to how to comfort the weeping kids.
Nobody knows how the situation will be like in the night, when the heavens are likely to open up again for the drowning rains.
Movements are almost impossible for rescue efforts by Governmen, as the water volume continued increasing, by the hours.
It was a situation of what the Hebrews call “balagan”.
Upto the afternoon of Tuesday, the situation did not seem to be abbating.
The Alau dam, which supplies drinking water to most parts of Maiduguri metropolis is becoming a curse, and the water the people used to drink seems to be angry with the people.
Clerics are calling for prayers, government has ordered for immediate evacuation, the Army, the Fire Service, FRSC and other aid agencies have been fully mobilized to assist in the evacuation and resettlement, while the citizen are crying that help us not coming fast enough.
Coming at a time Borno state citizens are begining to smile that life is gradually normalizing from years of displacement and disillusionment from Boko Haram insurgency, one cannot help but pity and share in the feelings of disappointment by the state Governor, Babagaba Umara Zulum.
The waters may soon recede and as happened before the hitherto dry gutters of Maiduguri shall turn to fishing ponds
TEARS FOR MY PEOPLE IN BORNO AND ANGER AT THE RAGING WATERS OF ALAU DAM
NIMC Promotes 523 Staff Members
By: Michael Mike
The DG/CEO of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), Engr (Dr) Abisoye Coker-Odusote has approved the promotion of 523 Staff of the Commission.
The promotion, according to a statement on Saturday by the spokesperson of the Commission, Dr. Kayode Adegoke is in line with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
Adegoke said: “This is a statutory part of the performance reward system for Staff who sat and met the pre-requisite conditions as spelt out in the Public Service Rules (PSR) in the 2025 promotion exercise.
He disclosed that accordingly, two staff members were promoted to the Director’s cadre (GL 17), and eight staff members moved to the Deputy Director cadre (GL 16) and 35 staff staff members promoted to the Assistant Director cadre (GL 15).
He further disclosed that 35 staff were promoted to the level of Chief Identity Officers (GL 14), with 109 moving to Assistant Chief Identity Officers (GL 13).
Adegoke said 113 officers moved to the rank of Principal Identity Officer (GL 12), while 82 were promoted to Senior Identity Officer ranks (GL 10), and 130 to the rank of Identity Officer 1 ( GL 9).
The DG/CEO congratulated all the promoted staff and charged them to see the promotion as an opportunity to serve the country better. She reiterated zero tolerance for extortion and warned staff to desist from it.
Engr Coker-Odusote, furthermore, encouraged all staff members of the Commission to work harder in the coming year 2026 and ensure the successful implementation of the National Identification Number project. She reiterated her commitment to prioritise staff welfare and ensure the dignity of labour.
NIMC Promotes 523 Staff Members
VP Shettima Extols Gov Uzodimma’s Progressive Leadership At 67
By: Our Reporter
Vice President Kashim Shettima has congratulated Imo State Governor and Chairman of the Progressive Governors Forum (PGF), Senator Hope Uzodimma, on his 67th birthday, saying his exemplary and progressive leadership within the All Progressives Congress (APC), his state, and the nation at large is worthy of emulation.
He noted that as Chairman of the PGF, an umbrella body of Governors elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Uzodimma has demonstrated exceptional capacity to unite and galvanise the party’s Governors towards achieving a collective vision for Nigeria’s development under President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
The Vice President on Saturday, described the age of 67 as an important milestone in the life of Uzodimma, noting that the special moment reflects how far the Governor has come, and sets the stage for what lies ahead.
Acknowledging how Uzodimma’s “exemplary leadership as Executive Governor of Imo State continues to inspire confidence and progress,” VP Shettima described the PGF Chairman as a committed servant of Nigeria.
“Your recent appointment by His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, as Renewed Hope Ambassador is a well-deserved recognition of your unwavering dedication to the ideals of our administration and your proven ability to articulate and champion the transformative agenda of the Renewed Hope mandate across our nation,” the VP told the Governor.
This singular honour, Senator Shettima said, reflects President Tinubu’s confidence in Governor Uzodimma’s leadership and commitment to national progress.
He observed that the Imo State Governor’s strategic governance, infrastructural achievements, and dedication to the prosperity of his state exemplify the progressive leadership Nigeria needs at this crucial time.
The Vice President prayed the Almighty God to grant Governor Uzodimma continued wisdom, good health, and strength to sustain his “remarkable service to Imo State and Nigeria.”
VP Shettima Extols Gov Uzodimma’s Progressive Leadership At 67
EU Invests Additional €45 million in Nigeria’s Digital Economy
By: Michael Mike
The Europe Union (EU) is investing an additional €45 million in Nigeria’s digital economy.
The package was signed by the Nigerian Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani, and the European Commissioner for International Partnerships, Jozef Síkela in Brussels.
A statement on Thursday by EU read: “At the EU-Nigeria Digital Open Day, which just took place in Brussels, a €45 million programme completing the EU Digital Economy Package for Nigeria was signed between Nigerian Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani, and the European Commissioner for International Partnerships Jozef Síkela.
“This investment will further support the cooperation in digital sector between Nigeria and the European Union.”
The European Commissioner for International Partnerships, Jozef Síkela, said: “Global Gateway is about delivering new opportunities, and the EU-Nigerian cooperation in the digital area has a very strong potential to do exactly that. Our approach to digitalisation is based on skills-transfer, open standards, data protection, privacy and security. This way, we make sure that technologies truly enrich human lives. The new package will take our efforts even further by supporting modern e-public services and investing in the skills that will prepare Nigeria’s youth for the digital future.”
The Nigerian Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani added: The EU–Nigeria digital economy cooperation reflects our shared belief that digital transformation must provide a platform for growth in productivity driven by technology. As part of this, Project Bridge provides a commercially sustainable entry point for European investors and suppliers to participate in deploying an open-access fibre network at scale. Combined with our leadership in Artificial Intelligence, Digital Public Infrastructure and programmes such as 3 million Technical Talents, Nigeria offers European businesses a market where talent, demand and policy alignment converge to support long-term investment and expansion.”
The programme signed on Thursday includes a flagship Global Gateway support to the Project Bridge that aims to deploy 90 000 km of fibre-optic backbone across Nigeria. This project is the country’s most ambitious digital investment supported by loans from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, World Bank and African Development Bank.
The €45 million grant supports the preparation of this strategic project with technical assistance and equipment in three complementary ways: for the detailed fiber optic network design, for local skills development and for the supply chain deployment with the mobilisation of the EU private sector.
The EU programme will also contribute to modernise Nigeria’s public administration through secure, user-friendly digital services. it also involves targeted support for Nigeria’s nationwide digital-skills programme, helping train a new generation of technicians, engineers and IT specialists.
According to the statement, this is essential to create new jobs, because large-scale digital projects can only work if the local workforce can maintain, operate and innovate on these networks.
The objective of the EU-Nigeria Open Digital Day was to facilitate access to information for European investors and suppliers interested in participating in the Nigerian digital ecosystem. The focus was on the Project Bridge, presented as an opportunity for collaborations between the EU tech sector and Nigeria.
With this €1.7 billion flagship project is projected to extend Nigeria’s total fibre to 125 000 km (+70%), making it the third-longest terrestrial fibre-optic infrastructure in Africa, following Egypt and South Africa.
Digitalisation is a priority area for the EU-Nigeria partnership as reflected in the €820 million Digital Economy Package launched in 2022 under the EU Global Gateway strategy. The EU-Nigeria collaboration in this sector spans from connectivity to digital skills, entrepreneurship, service and governance with multiple projects.
Nigeria’s digital economy has potential to create jobs, foster economic growth and open greater democratic space in Africa. Nigeria hosts big companies, and Lagos offers digital and business ecosystem with incubators, access to finance and digital service platforms. It has the biggest e-commerce market in Africa with 87 platforms, employing some 2.9 million people.
It is also leading on the continent on digital and start-ups – of the 8 existing African unicorns, 6 are Nigerian, with impressively dynamic States (Lagos) eager to create an ecosystem that promotes innovation, youth and growth largely led by the digital sector.
Global Gateway is the EU’s positive offer to reduce the worldwide investment disparity and boost smart, clean and secure connections in digital, energy and transport sectors, and to strengthen health, education and research systems.
The Global Gateway strategy embodies a Team Europe approach that brings together the European Union, EU Member States, and European development finance institutions.
Together, they aim to mobilise up to €300 billion in public and private investments from 2021 to 2027, creating essential links rather than dependencies, and closing the global investment gap.
EU Invests Additional €45 million in Nigeria’s Digital Economy
African Students Clinch Top Honours as KDI School Graduates New Global Policy Leaders
Fleeing bandits’ drug supplier ‘Gamboli’ arrested in Niger
NUJ Calls for Collaboration to Realize Affordable House for Journalists
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