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Post flood audit: 29 Churches covered by Alau Dam collapse flooding
Post flood audit: 29 Churches covered by Alau Dam collapse flooding
By: Bodunrin Kayode
The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) chair and auxiliary Catholic Bishop of Maiduguri Dr John Bakeni has said that 29 Churches were affected in the September flood of last year which devastated a large chunk of the state capital.
The devastating flood which was orchestrated by a night burst in the Sims of the Alau Dam which supplies drinking water into greater maiduguri submerged the entire municipal, jere and some sections of Mafa council areas of the Borno State capital.
The chair of CAN told this reporter in an interview that the flood was so devastating that it affected hundreds of residents such that friends and relatives had to take in their people who were rendered homeless from the tragedy.
” For us in the Catholic Church, St Timothy, which would have been a safe haven for affected people was completely taken over by the flood so we had no choice but to shift the people to the Bishop’s house.” Said Dr Bakeni.
The Bishop said that the Church had to assist over 400 people who were badly affected at the peak of the flood crisis adding that “We had to establish feeding bases in some areas like the farm centre with support of the Governor Professor Babagana Zulum and food was supplied to them.”
To the Bishop, who was a member of the September 2024 flood committee set up by Zulum to rehabilitate the people, the Church was planted and permitted by God to exist as such the Lord will lift the people up to where they should get to whenever there is a calamity of this magnitude.
During the chat held in his office at St Timothy Church, the CAN boss said that nobody actually saw the level of catastrophe coming from the flood because more than half of the town was submerged and unfortunately it came at night when nobody expected it.
“For us, st Patrick, st John, St Michaels,
Maduganari police chaplaincy, St Augustine, where many people took solace to hide away from the flood were all affected.
“The Christian committee should give thanks to God for all that happened because so many people were affected, 29 churches as a whole including Catholic churches.
“A crocodile was here, snakes were left loose and a lot of damage was done to the compound forcing the priests here to take refuge in the bishop’s house.” Said Bakeni.
Reacting to complaints from his members, the CAN chair noted that the committee did its best to ensure that the relief funds went round but that the doors are still open for special cases to be made for people who are dissatisfied with what went on in the management of the compensatory funds for residents who suffered economic and material losses.
On the myriads of complaints sent to the Gujibawu led flood committee, the CAN boss went on: “we operated based on the funds available. I tell you even if we had N30 billion to share, the funds would not have gone round as some residents expected.
“Those in the market places were given compensations too. The issue was a big deal so we gave based on the available funds. The highest we could give was one million and this was in extreme cases.
“There were many tough issues of owner versus tenants to deal with but we had to look into it and agree on a formula to ease the tensions. But it was obvious we could not please everyone.
“Remember that there was poverty and hunger before the flood which worsened the economic status of individuals.
As for those in the uniformed services, there was a general template for every one so they were taken care of.
“Bogis went in to capture everyone regardless of social status religion etc. This was the mandate given to the committee and I think they carried it diligently. It was one of the most transparent exercise we went through in the entire task.
” Most of those who made pledges responded. It was a genuine human need for the assistance of our common humanity. So you cannot afford but to make a genuine human need and not fulfill it. I tell you, the best spirit of Nigerians was at play and it tells you what we can do as humans. This helped to bring out the resilience in us.
Speaking on lessons learnt from the flood and how residents retuned back to their feet in spite of the loss of materials and even loved ones in some cases, the CAN boss posited that “it tells you that nothing is permanent in this life but a lot of things are ephemeral. It also tells us that the forces of nature which are air, wind and water are very powerful and can’t be taken for granted.
“Another lesson here is that when it comes to maintaining our infrastructures, we must not compromise, especially when it comes to things like Dams.
” Fourthly, we have to learn to live simply because all that you may accumulate in life can vanish within seconds. We must never forget that we have a common humanity because nobody was talking about tribe and religion when the flood came.
“Again, there were unsung heros for humanity who were cooking in their homes and feeding people quietly in the city without expecting a special thank you or media attention for that matter.” Said the CAN boss.
Asked why the committee had to recommend the fixing of strategic infrastructure in the city, he went on:
“Ours was just recommendations and we recommended accordingly so that the linkage bridges can be fixed immediately so that people can return to normal lives again. I mean those places the chairman looked at with the eyes of an engineer.
“As for funds, we were not the only one spending the non governmental organizations equally came in to help out to ease the pains of the people like Caritas Germany and the UN affiliates and many others. And that was why we had N 4 billion handed to the government after doing justice to the funds we received.”
Challenges the committee encountered
On Challenges, the CAN boss stated that they had many to put up with but the major one was the the levels of destruction of private and public infrastructures.
The most shocking challenge he stressed was that of the lack of sincerity and honesty among residents in the town which was a huge deal to him. “Imagine people standing in front of their houses and taking pictures to make bogus claims from the committee which was untrue.
“The chairman is a man of integrity and he showed leadership regardless of our individual differences or internal discordant voices so we know he did his best. Sometimes it is not too much talk that can take care of challenges.
“As for the zoo, most of the animals escaped as you must have heard. Some were trapped and taken care of. The zoo was one of the foremost section to be fenced so they did their best on the problems that it pushed into the metropolis.
On the State of the Nation
Speaking on the security challenges faced by the nation, he went on: ” well to be fair, I think things are better off now. We should commend the armed forces generally for the much they have done because we are better off. People are able to travel unlike before to many parts of the state.
“But we are not out of the woods yet because we were cautioned during the last yuletide period. Hints of suicide bombers lurking around and why we must not drop our guards etc was in the air. But in spite of all these I say kudos to General Musa, the entire armed forces and his entire team for the good work going on to sustain the peace needed for stability of the polity.
“We thank God because there was bumper harvest this year and the intensity over the years have actually lessoned. But it must be stated that security is a major challenge to us as a nation and it must be tackled.”
On the recent approval of the state police by the Governors for improved security he went on: “The state police has been a controversial topic. But if we look at our history, how was policing done? How were things then in terms of security. We are happy they have finally approved it. It’s just because of the kind of country we find ourselves where the law is hardly respected because of the mindset of some people. But it is going to be a project of law. And if the law is properly applied, we actually need it in every state, local government and town.
” Look at our population, we are over 200m but look at the population of our police, how many are they? In civilized nations, so to speak, you have policemen at all levels so one begins to worry, why are we kicking against it? People gave so many reasons but it is purely because of our general disposition towards law and order which must be addressed.
“The idea of state police in its contextual nature is needed. But then how do you structure it? How do you define and design it. But don’t forget some people feel they are above the law. Remember that human beings are all the same. What gives us a level ground is the rule of law.” Said Bakeni.
Post flood audit: 29 Churches covered by Alau Dam collapse flooding
Nigeria to Roll Out Comprehensive National Carbon Market Policy Soon, Says NCCCS
By: Michael Mike
Nigeria will soon be rolling out a comprehensive National Carbon Market Policy, Manual of Procedure and Regulation for carbon pricing mechanisms in the country.
When released, these documents will provide the overarching structure for carbon pricing mechanisms in Nigeria, including those potentially applicable to the telecommunications sector.
Leading the development of these documents is the National Council on Climate Change Secretariat (NCCCS).
Special Presidential Envoy on Climate Change and Director General, NCCCS, Dr Nkiruka Maduekwe, revealed this plan on Tuesday at the Hybrid Stakeholders Consultation Workshop on Carbon Pricing in Nigeria’s Telecommunication Sector, held in Abuja.
According to Maduekwe, this process is currently underway and benefiting significantly from stakeholder input, ensuring that the final output is robust, practical, and aligned with international best practices.
She said: “Your contributions to this workshop will directly inform the ongoing development of this crucial national framework. promoting carbon pricing mechanisms, we are exploring the feasibility and implementation of carbon pricing instruments, such as emissions trading schemes and carbon tax as stipulated in sections 4 and 15 of the CCA, to incentivize emissions reduction and drive investments in clean technologies.”
Maduekwe, while noting that the workshop will explore the telecommunications sector’s carbon footprint and mitigation opportunities and the various carbon pricing mechanisms and their suitability for the sector, said: “These will also include the potential economic and social impacts of carbon pricing and developing a roadmap for implementation.”
She added that the National Council on Climate Change Secretariat is committed to driving co-creation as this is crucial to fostering implementation, stating that: “We recognize that the telecommunications sector is unique, with its own set of challenges and opportunities. Therefore, it is crucial that we adopt a tailored approach that considers the specific circumstances of the sector. Your insights, perspectives, and experiences will provide us the tools useful to develop a carbon pricing mechanism that is both effective and feasible for the telecommunications sector.”
She emphasized that with stakeholders collaborative efforts, Nigeria can develop a robust and effective carbon pricing mechanism for the telecommunications sector.
Maduekwe explained that: “This mechanism will not only contribute significantly to national emissions reductions but also serve as a valuable model, informing the development and implementation of similar mechanisms in other key sectors of the Nigerian economy. The insights and best practices derived from this pilot initiative will be instrumental in scaling up carbon pricing across various industries, catalyzing innovation, stimulating investment, and fostering sustainable economic growth nationwide.”
She noted that the workshop forms part of the process to ensure a whole of government and society ownership of the charted pathway, stating that: “We are exploring the feasibility and implementation of carbon pricing instruments, such as emissions trading schemes and carbon tax as stipulated in sections 4 and 15 of the CCA, to incentivize emissions reduction and drive investments in clean technologies.”
While explaining that the workshop is a prime example of Nigeria’s commitment to inclusive policy development, Maduekwe said: “We believe that collaboration is key to effective climate action. We are actively engaging with stakeholders from the public and private sectors, as well as media, academia, and civil society organizations, to ensure that our policies are inclusive and effective.”
On his part, the Regional Lead United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC)-Regional Collaboration Centre for West and Central Africa, Mr Walter Tubua, asked all stakeholders to conduct formulation of a carbon tax “a pilot carbon tax design” in a very transparent and inclusive manner.
He said that the UNFCC is committed to formulating climate change polices that aligns with the Sustainable Development Goals and poverty eradication.
He said: “We are here to work with you on what you what to achieved, and we will be standing right here with you to help you achieved these.”
UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria, Mr Mohammed Fall, urged all stakeholders to actively participate, share knowledge, and collaborate to ensure that this pilot carbon tax design is effective, equitable, and aligned with Nigeria’s development aspirations.
He emphasized that the outcomes of the workshop will lay the foundation for future climate policies in Nigeria and demonstrate the country’s leadership in adopting innovative solutions for emission reductions.
Fall said: “This collective effort from the UN family, combined with the active participation of the private sector some her with us today guided by growing ESG principles, and supported by forward-thinking policies like carbon pricing, is what will truly drive Nigeria’s transformation towards a resilient, low-carbon future.”
He also reiterated that the UN System in Nigeria are committed to this journey, and will continued to partner with the Federal and State Governments of Nigeria.
He added that: “The UNFCCC, through the RCC WAC Africa, has also been quite instrumental in supporting our exploration of innovative climate finance mechanisms, including the interesting subject of carbon pricing. The UNFCCC’s guidance has been invaluable in helping all of us to navigate this complex landscape, and their support is exemplified by our gathering here today. UNIDO is driving industrial decarbonization and promoting clean energy projects, helping us to green our industries and build a more sustainable economy.”
Deputy Director, Head, Knowledge Management, Nigerian Communication Commission, NCC, Dr Beluchi Nwanisobi said the NCC will continue to collaborate and work with National Council on Climate Change Secretariat, NCCCS to achieve its mandate.
The workshop was organized by NCCCS in collaboration with the Nigerian Communications Commission with the support of UNFCCC Secretariat and its Regional Collaboration Centre for West Africa.
Nigeria to Roll Out Comprehensive National Carbon Market Policy Soon, Says NCCCS
Tackling twin peaks of malaria and malnutrition in Kano, northwest Nigeria
By: Michael Mike
Zuwaira Muhammad, 26, sits on a hospital bed at the Inpatient Therapeutic Feeding Centre (ITFC) at the Unguwa Uku Primary Healthcare Centre in Kano, northwest Nigeria. Here, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) offers critical treatment to children suffering from malnutrition. By her sides, lie her 10-month-old twins—Safwan, a boy, sleeping peacefully on her right, while Safuna, a girl, lying on her left-hand side is currently receiving a blood transfusion.
Safuna is one of the over 40,000 children treated for malnutrition in Kano in 2024. The children brought to MSF-supported facilities primarily come due to malnutrition but upon screening, most of them are found to also have malaria.
From January to May 2024, about 9,000 out of the 14,000 children diagnosed with malnutrition tested positive for malaria after screening. Malaria and malnutrition have a complex relationship, with malnutrition increasing the risk of malaria and malaria increasing the risk of malnutrition. This relationship can lead to a cycle of malnutrition and malaria, which can be especially harmful to children under five.
“Malaria can reduce appetite and make it harder for the body to absorb nutrients, leading to malnutrition. Conversely, malnutrition can weaken the immune system, making children more susceptible to infections like malaria,” says Dr. Yanu Mbuyi, MSF Medical Coordinator in Nigeria.
Malaria is one of the leading causes of death in Nigeria. According to the WHO’s 2024 World Malaria Report, Nigeria accounts for 26 percent of malaria cases globally. Kano state contributed an estimated nine percent of Nigeria’s 68 million malaria cases in 2021 and 30 percent of admissions to Nigeria’s hospitals are because of malaria.
Our teams in Kano have observed a distressing increase in the number of children suffering from malnutrition, as evidenced by the rise in admissions. In 2022, MSF treated 7,798 children for malnutrition; that number rose to 23,800 in 2023 and 46,304 in 2024.
“What we had in 2024 was a twin peak of malaria and malnutrition with 36,546 confirmed cases of malaria, the highest number recorded since we started working in Kano”, says Dr. Hemmed M Lokonge, the MSF Project Coordinator in Kano.
In response to the rising rates of malnutrition, MSF expanded its operations by opening additional outpatient treatment facilities in Kumbotso, and Rijiyar Lemo, alongside the already established one in Unguwa Uku. During the malnutrition crisis, the 75-bed inpatient facility in Unguwa Uku reached full capacity, prompting the opening of an additional 90-bed centre at Murtala Mohammed Specialist Hospital. This was full in just two hours.
“Safuna is feeling better now compared to when I brought her here a few days ago,” Muhammad says, having travelled over 40 kilometres from Wudil to access MSF services. “She was weak and could hardly move, but now she has more energy and can even laugh.”
MSF activities in Kano, which began as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic, evolved to include general outpatient department support and response to the growing malnutrition crisis. Presently, MSF is the only organisation providing inpatient therapeutic feeding services in Kano, with patients coming from 37 out of the 44 local government areas (LGAs) in the state, as well as from neighbouring states.
Since 2022, MSF has consistently raised concerns about the increasing number of children admitted for malnutrition at its facilities across northern Nigeria. In 2024, our teams treated over 357,000 children who were suffering from malnutrition in the facilities where we are working in the north. This is an increase of 35 per cent compared to the 265,500 children treated in 2023. Among those treated in 2024, 75,000 required inpatient care, while 282,000 received outpatient treatment.
In 2024, the surge in malnutrition cases began as early as March, well before the usual peak season in July, and extended through November, a time when cases are typically expected to decline. This situation raises fears that the severity of malnutrition in 2025 could exceed that of previous years.
The persistent malnutrition crisis in northern Nigeria stems from a variety of factors such as inflation; food insecurity; insufficient healthcare infrastructure; ongoing security issues, and disease outbreaks worsened by low vaccine coverage.
Tackling acute malnutrition in northern Nigeria requires a multi-faceted approach. Immediate measures include strengthening healthcare facilities to diagnose and treat malnutrition. Additional steps involve reinforcing vaccine programmes, enhancing access to nutritious food, improving water and sanitation, and raising awareness.
Currently, MSF operates outpatient clinics in only three Local Government Areas (LGAs) of Kano State: Tarauni, Fagge, and Kumbotso. This limited geographical coverage is significant, considering that Kano State is made up of 44 LGAs. It underscores the insufficient number of clinics available to address the large volume of children suffering from malnutrition.
MSF advocates for establishing outpatient feeding centres across all LGAs in Kano to enhance community-based management of malnutrition and reduce severe cases. In 2025, MSF’s health promotion activities will shift focus to community education, empowering families to recognise early signs of malnutrition and address them before hospitalisation is necessary.
It is essential that health authorities, international organisations, and donors intensify their efforts to address the escalating malnutrition crisis in Kano and throughout northwest Nigeria—a region currently lacking sufficient humanitarian response, to prevent further lives from being lost in 2025.
Tackling twin peaks of malaria and malnutrition in Kano, northwest Nigeria
Yobe police command welcomes 280 newly trained constables
By: Dungus Abdulkarim,
Yobe State Police Command has welcomed 280 newly trained Police Constables, comprising 245 General Duty personnel and 35 Specialist Cadre officers. These constables, all of Yobe State origin, successfully completed a 6-month training program at the Police Training College in Maiduguri.¹
The Commissioner of Police, CP Garba Ahmed, congratulated the constables on their achievement, emphasizing the importance of discipline, respect for human rights, and adherence to standard working procedures. He encouraged them to refrain from actions detrimental to the force and their personal careers.
The constables will be deployed to their local areas of origin, in line with the Community Policing strategy, and may be redeployed to other parts of the state as when due.
To ensure their smooth transition, He tasked officers to provide strict mentorship and close supervision.
The command appeals to the public to maintain their cooperation in ensuring the state’s security and safety.
Yobe police command welcomes 280 newly trained constables
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