Thousands of residents in Maiduguri have been displaced after a catastrophic flood, caused by the overflow of the Alau Dam, submerged 70% of the city. The flood, which is Borno State's worst disaster in three decades, has also resulted in a jailbreak, with the Nigerian Correctional Service recapturing three escaped inmates, and the death of 80% of animals at the Sanda Kyarimi Park zoo.

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) confirmed the extent of the devastation, reporting that key locations in the city, including the Shehu of Borno’s palace, the state secretariat, and the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, are underwater.

NEMA spokesperson Manzo Ezekiel explained that the flooding began after heavy rainfall caused the Alau Dam to overflow, rapidly inundating large parts of the city. "About 70% of the town is already underwater," Ezekiel said, adding that many residents were trapped as the floodwaters surged while they slept.

The flat terrain of Maiduguri has exacerbated the situation, allowing floodwaters to flow quickly into lower-lying areas. While the exact number of displaced persons remains unclear, NEMA estimates that about 70% of the city’s population of over 800,000 may have been affected.

In an effort to support displaced residents, the federal and state governments have opened three Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps, with Bakasi Camp being designated as the primary relocation center. According to NEMA, search and rescue operations are ongoing, and the agency is working closely with the Borno State Emergency Management Agency to provide assistance to those impacted by the disaster.

As the flooding worsened, many institutions and businesses in the city have been forced to shut down, including the University of Maiduguri. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNCHR) Nigeria, in a statement on social media, described the widespread damage, noting that homes, schools, and businesses have been submerged.

This disaster comes amid a year of severe flooding in Nigeria, which has already claimed the lives of at least 229 people, displaced over 386,000, and damaged nearly 95,000 houses, primarily in the northern region. Over 125,000 hectares of farmland have also been affected, according to NEMA.