I suspect some Boko Haram leaders escaped from prison during flooding, Zulum

I suspect some Boko Haram leaders escaped from prison during flooding, Zulum, Over 40% of the Maiduguri metropolis was reportedly covered with water following a severe flash flooding, which occurred after the Alau Dam in neighbouring Konduga Local Government Area breached its banks on the night of Tuesday, September 10, 2024.

The incident, which impacted the Maiduguri Metropolitan Council (MMC) and Jere local government areas (LGAs), claimed several lives and displaced no fewer than 400,000 people from their homes.

The overflowing water, which wreaked devastating havoc in the capital city, also destroyed properties worth millions of naira.

Security sources confirmed the development and expressed fears that some inmates may have managed to escape during the incident.

“I’m worried, yes, I’m seriously worried. But you also have to bear in mind that the Borno State Government has established what we call the Borno Model of Rehabilitation which has allowed many insurgents to repent. Within the last two years, over 200,000 Boko Haram members and their families have repented and, I think, this has also yielded positive results in ensuring the return of peace and stability to Borno State,” he stated.

The Governor also decried that another calamity had befallen the state amid its battle against insecurity.

“I can remember more than 300,000 people were killed in Borno State, thousands of classrooms were destroyed, and hundreds of facilities were destroyed by the insurgency.

“We are just trying to get out of this problem and then now we witnessed another disaster-—a very serious calamity, another serious humanitarian crisis which the state governor cannot shoulder,” he said.

Zulum added that the support received by the victims was never enough, highlighting the plans to be undertaken to ensure their safety and protection during this period.

“There is no way we can provide food to millions of people in one or two hours. So, what we decided is to retreat and organise ourselves. The only way we can organise ourselves is to ensure that the affected victims are resettled in camps. Then we will take the support to the camps, otherwise many will die as a result of receiving food and non-food items in queues,” he concluded.