Floods took over different parts of Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, displacing animals such as reptiles from a zoo on Tuesday.

Zagazola Makama, a counter-insurgency reporter covering northern Nigeria, said “snakes, crocodiles, and other animals” had been displaced from the Sanda Kyarimi Zoological Park in Maiduguri as he shared pictures and clips of the flood on X.

The flood also took over the Shehu of Borno’s palace.

In the videos, movements were grounded as water levels rose to the knee level of passersby as they carefully navigated the flooded road. There were also no vehicular movements.

READ ALSO: Despite Getting N7.3b Ecological Fund, 12 States With Flood Hotspots Used Only N3.6b for Environmental Projects

Snakes, crocodiles, and other animals have been displaced from the Sanda Kyarimi Zoological Park in Maiduguri.Please be careful how you enter the water. pic.twitter.com/DUb7XF2odh— Zagazola (@ZagazOlaMakama) September 10, 2024

A boy who hanged on the streetlight in Fori amidst flooding in Maiduguri needs help. @ProfZulum @BornoPoliceNG @nemanigeria pic.twitter.com/9uiF6v1SwK— Zagazola (@ZagazOlaMakama) September 10, 2024

This is Shehu’s palace flooded pic.twitter.com/z63PvEEp3c— Zagazola (@ZagazOlaMakama) September 10, 2024

Usman Tar, the Borno commissioner for Information and Internal security, said residents close to rivers should vacate their premises immediately on Tuesday.

“Due to the unusually high volume of water this year, we urge all the residents living along the river bank to take immediate action to protect themselves and their properties,” Tar said.

“The Alau Dam water has broken down another channel that is currently destroying farms and the water is heading toward the river bank.”

READ ALSO: Flood Drowns Nigerians, Homes, Future in 3 Months — But FG Says ‘Sorry’ With Palliatives

The flooding began a few days ago but it reached its peak on Tuesday, displacing residents of Bulabulin, Galtimari, Fori, Gwange and other parts of Maiduguri.

Flooding has ravaged more parts of Borno since the Alau dams let out water overflow in large volumes on Wednesday. Since Wednesday, Gwange Sabon Gari Community and Moro Moro Community, within the Maiduguri Metropolitan Council and Jere Local Government Area, have sunk in the resulting flood.

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) said on Monday that the flood from Wednesday affected numerous houses and led to residents’ displacement.

BORNO STATE GOVERNMENT MAY BE COMPLICIT IN THIS TRAGEDY

An EQ report in August showed that Ecological Funding meant for situations like this one had been disbursed to different state governments including Borno, but the states misused the funds.

STATESECOLOGICAL FUND ALLOCATION (JAN-JUNE)AMOUNT SPENT ON ENV/ECOLOGICAL PROJECTS (JAN-JUNE)Borno816,337,577.17770,053,857.68Cross River330,356,544.18314,286,644.43Jigawa734,779,377.86651,006,915.19Sokoto724,123,071.8494,369,624.89Zamfara653,842,435.01319,970,940.8Ecological Fund Vs Environmental Expenditure from January to June 2024. Sources: NBS, State Budget Performance Documents

From the report, EQ showed that Borno got up to N816 million but only accounted for N770 million.

There is also no proof that the N770 million was put into good ecological preventive use.
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