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Zulum: Alau Dam Reconstruction to Restore Dignity, Livelihoods in Borno

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Zulum: Alau Dam Reconstruction to Restore Dignity, Livelihoods in Borno

…approves construction of school, hospital

By: Our Reporter

Borno State Governor, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum, has emphasised that the reconstruction of the Alau Dam will restore the dignity and livelihoods of the people of Borno, who were severely impacted by the devastating flood disaster of 2024.

The Alau Dam collapsed on September 10, 2024, causing catastrophic flooding that killed at least several people and displaced thousands. The dam was built between 1984 and 1986. It stored water from the Ngadda River, a Lake Chad tributary, mainly used for irrigation and as a tap water source within Maiduguri and its environs.

The Governor stated this on Saturday during the groundbreaking ceremony for the restoration and rehabilitation of the Alau Dam by the federal government.

The event took place at the Alau community in Jere Local Government Area.

Governor Zulum outlined several key benefits the people of Borno will gain from the rehabilitation of the dam, including enhanced agricultural activities, improved water supply, flood control, economic diversification, and community empowerment.

“This groundbreaking ceremony is a testament to the Federal Government’s unwavering commitment to rebuilding Borno State, not just in terms of physical infrastructure, but in restoring the livelihoods and dignity of our citizens,” Zulum said.

Governor Zulum added, “We understand that sustainable development is inextricably linked to the availability of water resources, and the Alau Dam is crucial in this regard.”

Zulum also said, “The restoration and rehabilitation of this dam will bring numerous benefits to our people.”

“Enhanced Agricultural Productivity along the dams: This project will significantly improve irrigation capacity, enabling our farmers to cultivate more land and increase their yields. This will boost food security, create employment opportunities and contribute to the overall economic development of the state.”

He acknowledged the support of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for approving the repair of the dam within short period of time.

Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Prof Joseph Terlumun Utsev, who was the special guest of honour at the groundbreaking ceremony stated that the rehabilitation will be conducted in two phases.

According to the minister, when completed, the Alau Dam will enhance the provision of drinking water and revamp agricultural activities for thousands of people around the facility.

“It is evident that the reconstruction and upgrade of Alau Dam will significantly enhance the provision of potable drinking water, support downstream irrigation, boost socio-economic activities and enable flood control while facilitating other viable socio-economic activities capable of revamping people’s livelihoods and economic development. The project work is structured in two phases over a completion period of 24 months,” Prof Utsev disclosed .

He added that phase one will be executed between February and September 2025 to cover the critical interventions to mitigate immediate flood risks, while phase two will focus on extensive distilling and structural enhancements to ensure long-term functionality and resilience of the dam, commencing from October 2025.”

Speaking earlier in his welcome address, the Borno State Commissioner of Water Resources, Engr Tijjani Goni Alkali, applauded the federal government for its timely intervention in rehabilitating the dam.

…Zulum approves construction of school and hospital

Governor, Babagana Umara Zulum, has approved the construction of a primary school and hospital for Alau community in Jere local government area in the central part of the state.

“I have approved the construction of a primary school and hospital for Alau community to ensure development of the area” Zulum said.

Zulum announced the approval on Saturday at the groundbreaking ceremony. He called on people of the area to cooperate with the contractors and support the rehabilitation.

Chairman Senate Committees on Water and Sanitation, Senator Abdulaziz Yari represented by the vice chairman of the committee, Senator Eze Ken Emeka, and the chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Water and Sanitation, Hon. Sada Soli Jibia, attended the occasion.

Also present were the Senator representing Borno Central, Barrister Kaka Shehu Lawan, the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari, and House of Representatives members.

The Shehu of Borno, Abubakar Ibn Umar Garbai El-Kanemi, led members of Borno Emirates Council, including the Waziri of Borno, Mutawali Shettima.

Other dignitaries include the secretary to Borno State Government, Alhaji Bukar Tijani, the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation, Mr Richard Pheelangwaah, the APC Chairman, Hon Bello Ayuba, the Deputy Speaker of Borno State House of Assembly, Engr Abdullahi Askira, and the Deputy Chief of Staff, Dr Babagana Mallumbe.

Zulum: Alau Dam Reconstruction to Restore Dignity, Livelihoods in Borno

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Centre lauds Kaduna Govt over life skills, gender education policies approval

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Centre lauds Kaduna Govt over life skills, gender education policies approval

By Aisha Gambo

The Centre for Girls’ Education (CGE) has commended the Kaduna State Executive Council for approving the Kaduna State Life Skills Policy and the State Policy on Gender in Education (SPGE 2026–2030).

The Executive Director of the organisation, Habiba Mohammed, made this known in a statement issued on Wednesday in Kaduna.

She said the approval marked a transition from donor-supported, time-bound interventions to a sustainable, government-led framework for delivering life skills education and promoting gender equity in schools.

According to her, the Life Skills Policy will equip young people with the knowledge, skills, attitudes and values required to succeed in education, employment and life, while the Gender in Education Policy providzbves a framework to promote equity, inclusion, participation, retention, completion and improved learning outcomes.

“The approval moves life skills and gender equity from the margins of the classroom into the core of Kaduna State’s education system,” she said.

Mohammed said CGE contributed to the development and validation of the policies through its system-strengthening project supported by Co-Impact, OASIS Initiative and the Malala Fund, in collaboration with the Adolescent Girls Initiative for Learning and Empowerment (AGILE) and the Kaduna State Ministry of Education.

She said the policies built on more than 18 years of the organisation’s Safe Space model, which independent evaluations showed had helped reduce child marriage, increase school enrolment and delay early marriage.

According to her, the AGILE programme in Kaduna has reached more than 127,319 girls and 6,250 boys between the ages of 14 and 18, while over 1,400 female and male teachers have been trained as mentors.

She added that institutionalising the model through public policy would ensure that life skills education became a permanent component of the state’s education system.

Mohammed said the policies would address barriers to school access, retention and completion, particularly for girls and other vulnerable learners.

She added that they would also institutionalise life skills as a co-curricular programme, strengthen evidence-based decision-making across the state’s 23 local government areas and guarantee continuity beyond donor-funded programmes.

The executive director commended Gov. Uba Sani for providing the leadership that made the policy approval possible.

She also appreciated the Commissioner for Education, Prof. Abubakar Sani Sambo, the Kaduna State Ministry of Education, the AGILE State Project Implementation Unit, the World Bank and other stakeholders for their contributions to the process.

Mohammed reaffirmed CGE’s commitment to supporting the Kaduna State Government with technical assistance during the implementation phase, including teacher training, gender-responsive education sector budgeting and monitoring.

She said the ultimate goal was to ensure that every girl and boy in Kaduna State had the opportunity to learn, develop and thrive.

Centre lauds Kaduna Govt over life skills, gender education policies approval

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Troops Kill Six ISWAP Fighters, Wound Seven in Failed Attack on Borno Military Base

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Troops Kill Six ISWAP Fighters, Wound Seven in Failed Attack on Borno Military Base

By: Zagazola Makama

Six fighters of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) were reportedly killed and seven others seriously wounded during a failed attack on a Forward Operating Base (FOB) at Logomani in Borno State, credible intelligence sources have disclosed.

The sources told Zagazola Makama that the terrorists launched the attack on the military position in the early hours of July 7 but suffered significant casualties after troops mounted a fierce resistance.

According to the intelligence assessment, the attackers had assembled at Garal before advancing on the military base.

Following the failed assault, surviving insurgents were reportedly seen regrouping at Chukun Gudu, where they buried six of their fighters killed during the encounter.

Among those reportedly buried was a senior fighter identified as Munzir, also known as Ba Alayi, who was said to be an indigene of Wulgo.

The development comes as troops of Operation HADIN KAI continue sustained clearance operations aimed at dismantling terrorist enclaves and disrupting insurgents’ logistics and mobility across the Lake Chad region.

Troops Kill Six ISWAP Fighters, Wound Seven in Failed Attack on Borno Military Base

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Cholera Outbreak Kills Nine ISWAP Terrorists in Timbuktu Triangle

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Cholera Outbreak Kills Nine ISWAP Terrorists in Timbuktu Triangle

By: Zagazola Makama

A cholera outbreak has reportedly claimed the lives of nine fighters of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) in the Timbuktu Triangle, a known terrorist stronghold in Borno State, intelligence sources have disclosed.

The sources told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the outbreak had spread through the group’s enclaves, highlighting deteriorating sanitary conditions and limited access to medical care within the insurgents’ camps.

According to the intelligence, two additional ISWAP fighters infected with the disease were allegedly executed by fellow terrorists after attempts to manage their condition at Kimba village proved unsuccessful.

The sources said the development pointed to the worsening health conditions within the terrorist hideouts, where sustained military pressure has disrupted logistics, including access to medicines and treatment facilities.

The sources added that commanders had also been urged to intensify efforts to intercept medical supplies and pharmaceuticals intended for terrorist camps in order to further degrade ISWAP’s treatment capability and operational resilience.

The reported outbreak comes amid sustained offensives by troops of Operation HADIN KAI, who continue to target terrorist enclaves and logistics networks across the Lake Chad region in a bid to degrade the insurgents’ fighting capacity.

Cholera Outbreak Kills Nine ISWAP Terrorists in Timbuktu Triangle

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