Survivors of Maiduguri Dam Collapse Face Relentless Struggles One Year On

Sat Sep 13 2025 23:17:03 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

A year after the devastating dam collapse in Maiduguri, survivors contend with ongoing challenges as they attempt to rebuild their lives amidst the lingering threat of flooding and insufficient governmental support.

In the wake of the catastrophic dam collapse in Maiduguri, Nigeria, survivors like Sa'adatu Dahiru and Maryam Jidda recount their harrowing experiences and the ongoing struggles they face as they try to recover. With the looming threat of another disaster and limited government assistance, questions about how to restart life remain at the forefront for many displaced families.

The threat of flooding once again looms over the city of Maiduguri, in north-eastern Nigeria, a year after torrential rains and the collapse of a dam left entire neighbourhoods submerged in water.

For many residents who are still bearing the scars of last year's floods, the possibility of a repeat has created huge unease.

At least 37 people died in the floods and two million had to abandon their houses after the widespread destruction of homes, farms and businesses.

Forty-two-year-old Sa'adatu Dahiru lost her two-year-old son.

He died as a result of hunger and fever during the flood. We had no proper food, no medicine, and no safe place to stay.

She told the BBC how her children cried and they had to rush out in the middle of the night carrying only a few clothes, leaving everything else behind.

She says she did receive some state support of 10,000 naira ($7; £5) when the flood happened.

However the mother of six says government assistance has since halted: Since then, none of the other promises from the government have reached us. We are still waiting, still suffering.

The Borno state government claims to have supported local communities impacted by the disaster, establishing relief camps and providing food aid as well as cash handouts.

More significantly, the government has begun reconstructing the dam and dyke system at Alau - on the outskirts of Maiduguri - which caused the flooding.

However, more than a decade of insurgency by the Boko Haram Islamist group has complicated maintenance efforts of the dam, as highlighted by Mohammed Shettima, a local engineering authority.

The dam is located on the fringes of the Sambisa forest – about 4km from the jihadist bases. The dykes were worn and not maintained, which led to last year's massive water overflow, he explained.

As the rainy season approaches, residents like Dahiru ponder their bleak future, questioning, How do I start again when I have nothing? In the meantime, many remain in makeshift shelters, struggling to secure basic necessities, and continuing to grieve losses that can never be replaced.