By Skye Milburn
A massive flood occurring in just the second week of September, in Northeastern Nigeria, caused a massive prison breakout with over 200 inmates escaping.
The flood itself was caused by the collapse of a dam, according to the National Emergency Management Agency. Over 35 deaths have been reported so far, and upwards of 200,000 people have been displaced. Many residents of Maiduguri are stating that some areas are still flooded as of Monday, September 16.
Abubakar Umar, a Nigerian Correctional Service spokesperson, reported that 281 inmates had escaped while being transported to a different facility due to their prison being flooded. Of the 281 escaped prisoners, only 7 have been recaptured. According to Abubaker, “The flood brought down the walls of the correctional facility, including the medium-security custodial center Maiduguri, as well as the staff quarters of the city.”
Animals from the city’s local zoo, Sanda Kyarimi Park, have also broken free. These animals, including reptiles, lions, and other wildlife, were washed into residential neighborhoods.
The residents that got displaced due to the floods were relocated into temporary housing set up in different camps across the city. There are over 30 million Nigerian residents already at risk of a food shortage, according to the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization. Due to this weather crisis, the shortage of food will unfortunately just get worse. In addition to this, Nigeria is now on high alert for outbreaks of diseases cholera, malaria, and even typhoid. These diseases are going around due to the high concentration of people in these camps.
The Vice President and former governor, Kashim Settima, stated that the flood was much more severe than originally thought. The flood affected up to 30 different states, and over 3 million acres of land was flooded—half being farmland.
The Benue River, which runs along Cameroon and Nigeria is where the Lagdo dam is located. When the dam is opened, it becomes the yearly source of flooding in Nigeria. Workers at the FAO said states, like Adamawa, are at risk of flooding due to immediate unexpected discharge from the dam.
In addition, the Deputy Director of Nigeria, Suwaiba Dankabo, stated that roads and other transportation networks were destroyed, making it almost impossible for the area to get its much needed aid.
From the escaped prison inmates, to the displaced residents, this flood was nothing shy of disastrous. Unfortunately, floods like this happen all the time in Nigeria. With over 1,500 deaths and 1 billion dollars worth of property damage in just the past two decades, some look for solutions. Some solutions to the constant flooding include more money going to local dams, wing dikes, diversion spillways, and afforestation. Even though these are all solutions to the problem of flooding, that doesn’t mean the government of Nigeria will be able to afford it. For now, all we can do is hope that the thousands of people losing their homes and land make a successful recovery, and that the next flood can be prevented.
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