The Palace of the Shehu of Borno, Alhaji Garbai Elkenemi, along with several areas in Maiduguri, the capital of Borno State, was flooded in the early hours of Tuesday, forcing residents to evacuate.
According to local sources, the Shehu has vacated his palace and is currently taking refuge at the Government House. A resident of Kofar Shehu expressed shock at the situation, stating, “This is shocking! I have never witnessed this before. Even the Shehu has left his palace to the Government House.”
Reports from Maiduguri indicate that areas including Lagos Street, Modugari, Post Office, and Gwange are among the worst affected. Residents in these areas are struggling to save their belongings and secure their safety.
One of the victims, Usman Babagana, shared that there had been early warnings about potential flooding, but many residents did not take the threat seriously due to a lack of alternative shelter. “We were told flood is coming. I never expected it this way. We didn’t take it much seriously because we had nowhere to go,” Babagana said.
Another resident, Buba Jibril, who was stranded by the flood near the Post Office, described the situation as the worst he has witnessed since living in Maiduguri. “This is the worst of it all I have witnessed since my stay in Maiduguri. I hope that this will not lead to untold hardship,” Jibril lamented.
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