Flood Crisis: President Tinubu Dispatches VP Shettima to Maiduguri as City Faces Severe Flooding
President Bola Tinubu has directed Vice President Kashim Shettima to urgently travel to Maiduguri, Borno State, to assess and respond to the devastating flood that has overtaken the city. The order came as heavy rains and the collapse of a spillway at Alau Dam have caused severe flooding across Maiduguri, displacing residents and affecting key parts of the metropolis.
Vice President Shettima made the announcement on Tuesday during the 17th Annual Banking and Finance Conference organized by the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN) in Abuja. The conference, themed “Accelerated Economic Growth and Development: Current Status and Future Directions,” served as a platform for Shettima to address the nation on the growing flood crisis.
“After this meeting, with the consent of the President, I will rush to Maiduguri. The whole city has been overtaken by flood,” Shettima said. He added that the flooding issue is not isolated to Borno State but is affecting several regions across the country, from Bayelsa to Sokoto.
The Vice President emphasized that the federal government is fully aware of the situation and committed to providing immediate relief and long-term solutions to the challenges posed by flooding nationwide. “Be rest assured that the President has the nation at heart and will do whatever it takes to salvage the state of affairs,” he assured attendees.
Shettima also expressed his condolences to Nigerians affected by the ongoing flood disasters, stating, “I want to use this forum to commiserate with the people of our great nation over the flood disasters we are recording all across the length and breadth of this nation.”
The situation in Maiduguri is part of a broader flooding crisis that has impacted numerous states in Nigeria, exacerbated by the effects of climate change and infrastructure vulnerabilities. The federal government is expected to ramp up disaster response efforts in collaboration with state and local authorities as well as international partners to mitigate further damage and assist displaced communities.
As Vice President Shettima heads to Maiduguri, Nigerians await further updates on government actions and interventions in response to the escalating flood emergencies across the country.
