Heavy rain early Wednesday morning caused eight buildings to collapse and forced some people to leave their homes in Maiduguri, the capital of Borno State.
The rain began around 6:15 a.m. and lasted for three hours. It caused flooding in areas like Bulumkutu, Abuja, Moduganari, Ngomari, and other places near the river, forcing many families to leave.
One resident of Bulumkutu, Ahmodu Ibrahim, said his house was flooded around 8 a.m. He quickly left with his family.
“I saw water coming into the house about an hour after the rain started. I took my wife and children to a safer place right away,” he said.
A shop owner, Aisha Suraju, said the flood damaged all the goods in her shop.“All my goods, especially those on the floor, were ruined by the water,” she said.
Meanwhile, the police in Borno State said they have started rescue efforts in the areas where buildings collapsed.
According to a statement by police spokesperson ASP Nahum Daso, eight buildings fell down because of the flood.
The statement said, “After the heavy rain in areas like Maiduguri, Gomari, Bulumkutu, Jidari, and ITE, the police quickly went to the affected places and sent out patrol teams.“Thankfully, no one died, but eight buildings collapsed.”
“To keep things safe and prevent crime, police officers have been placed in key areas to protect empty homes and property.”
The police spokesman also said the Commissioner of Police, Naziru Abdulmaji, praised the officers for their quick action and asked residents to stay calm and follow the law.
“He also told parents to watch their children closely and keep them from playing in floodwater, because it is very dangerous,” he added.
