*Seadogs seeks judicious use of N3bn FG’s assistance to states
CHIGOZIE AMADI
About 281 inmates are currently on the run following therecent devastating flood in Maiduguri, Borno State, the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) has said.
But, in a related development, the Nigerian Air Force (NAF), yesterday, said it has commenced the airlifting of relief materials to victims of the Maiduguri flood disaster, in fulfillment of its statutory role of providing military aid to civil authority.
This was as the National Association of Seadogs (NAS), also known as the Pyrates Confraternity, has raised concerns over the flood disaster.
The catastrophe has displaced over a million people, leaving children and families trapped in their homes as the flooding spread uncontrollably.
While initial reports attributed the flooding to the collapse of the Alau Dam, the federal government said the overflow of the Ngadda River was the primary cause, not the dam failure.
Experts had long warned of the potential dangers posed by the Alau Dam, which had suffered cracks and erosion for years due to neglect.
However, counting the losses of the NCoS in the flood that left over 50 per cent of Maiduguri and its environs submerged in water, spokesman of the Service, Umar Abubakar said, gave details.
“The unfortunate incident has left scars, bringing down the walls of the correctional facilities, including the medium security custodial centre Maiduguri (MSCC) as well as the staff quarters in the City.
“Upon the evacuation of inmates by officers of the service with support from sister security agencies to a safe and secure facility, 281 inmates were observed to be missing,” he said, adding that the service was in custody of their details, including their biometrics.
His words: “The service is working in synergy with other security agencies as both covert and overt deployments have been activated to look out for them.
“Presently, a total of seven (7) inmates have been recaptured and returned to custody, while efforts are on ground to track down the rest and bring them back to safe custody.
“While this effort is on, the public is assured that the incidence does not impede or affect public safety.”
NAF Commences Airlift of Relief Materials
The Nigerian Air Force, yesterday, commenced the airlift of relief materials to victims of Maiduguri flood disaster, in fulfillment of its statutory role of providing military aid to civil authority.
The NAF, also explained that the materials, donated by the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS), were aimed at alleviating the suffering caused by the floods, which had disrupted the daily life of Maiduguri residents, destroyed their properties, and displaced millions.
Deputy Director of Public Relations and Information, Nigerian Air Force, Group Captain Kabiru Ali, said the airlift missions, which commenced on 14 September 2024, had the first batch of the relief items, comprising 300 bags of 50kg rice, successfully delivered to NAF Base Maiduguri via the NAF C-130 Hercules aircraft.
He disclosed that the Air Component Commander, Air Commodore UU Idris, received the materials and handed them over to the Commissioner for Inter-Governmental and Special Duties, Alhaji Tukur Ibrahim, who was accompanied by the Comptroller of the Nigerian Customs Service, MD Malah.
He added that heavy-duty trucks provided by the NAF were used to transport the materials to the Borno State Government House for onward distribution.
Earlier, the NAF had launched a medical outreach programme to support flood victims, in addition to the feeding of over 2,000 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs).
This initiative, he said, included the provision of medications, food, and water supplies to help mitigate the effects of the flood and address the urgent needs of the affected population.
“The NAF’s airlift mission and medical outreach are part of a broader effort to support national disaster response initiatives and highlight the critical role of military assets in humanitarian crises,” he said.
The Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Hasan Abubakar, directed that the operations should continue, “ensuring that both relief materials and free medical aid reach all affected areas.”
NAF spokesperson averred that the service would persistently collaborate with other security agencies to mobilise human and material resources for the support of flood victims.
He stated that the operations would be sustained as long as necessary to ensure that relief materials effectively reached those affected by the disaster.
NAS Seeks Judicious Use of N3bn FG Aid
The National Association of Seadogs (NAS), also known as the Pyrates Confraternity, has raised concerns over the recent flood disaster that devastated Maiduguri and surrounding communities in Borno State.
In a statement, yesterday, NAS through its Cap’n, Dr Joseph Oteri, condemned government’s insufficient response to the disasters.
According to Oteri, despite repeated warnings and calls for action, nothing substantial was done to prevent the crisis in Borno.
He noted that neglecting critical infrastructure like the Alau Dam only exacerbate a dire humanitarian situation in a region plagued by food insecurity and conflict.
“The failure to take preventive action has deepened the suffering of an already vulnerable population,” Oteri remarked, adding, “Over a million people have been affected, and the flood has worsened the food insecurity in Borno, which serves as a key hub in the conflict-stricken North-East.
However, NAS expressed concerns that the N3 billion aid by the federal government could be misappropriated or diverted for other uses, as has often been the case with disaster relief funds.
‘Alau Dam Built, Maintained by FG’
Borno Concerned Citizens have claimed that the faulty Alau dam, which overflowed and caused the flooding and submerging of over half of Maiduguri landmass and its environs, was owned and maintained by the federal government.
The group, in a press statement by its publicity secretary, Alkassim Modu, said the Borno State governor and government should not be blamed for the faulty infrastructure and the subsequent flooding and devastation of Maiduguri and environs.
“The recent overflow of the Alau Dam on September 10, 2024, which led to the flooding and submerging of over 70% of Maiduguri and environs, and the displacement of over two million people has created misconceptions about the ownership of the facility and who is responsible for its maintenance.
“Alau Dam is located in Konduga Local Government Area of Borno State, fuelling widespread belief, that the Dam belongs to the Borno State Government. However, verifiable evidence shows that it was actually built by the Federal Government of Nigeria between 1984 and 1986 as a reservoir of the Ngadda River.
“It was built to impound water from Ngadda River, to provide water for domestic consumption in Maiduguri and environs and irrigation for communities around the river bank. Ngadda River is one of the tributaries of Lake Chad where the Ngadda River eventually flows.
“Our inquiries show that out of genuine concern for his people, Governor Umara Zulum, on the 5th of September, 2024 sent a state government delegation to visit and see the condition of the Dam, following the unprecedented increase in the volume of rainfall this year.”
