Residents with houses on riverbanks, waterways and low-lying land are anxious – they cannot afford to rent a house on higher ground and the government is refusing to compensate them. 

The government of Borno State has demolished more than 100 houses built on riverbanks, waterways and low-lying land in Maiduguri and its environs – leaving residents disappointed, angry and homeless.

And there are still many to go – more than 1,300 houses were earmarked for demolition after the devastating September 10 flood engulfed the capital and surrounding areas.

The deluge affected at least a million residents and displaced more than 400,000 people.

The flood started in the early hours of Tuesday, September 10, when the Alau Dam began overflowing.

It caused massive destruction. Thousands of homes were submerged, as were government offices, bridges, roads, hospitals and other critical infrastructure.

As the water receded, the Borno State government told residents living on riverbanks, waterways and low-lying land that their houses would be demolished and they needed to relocate to safer, higher ground.

Residents were warned not to rebuild or renovate their houses. But some ignored the warning and began rebuilding structures on riverbanks. They said they did not believe the government would go through with the demolitions.

The government established a committee to demarcate boundaries and ensure that no houses were reconstructed.

Adam Bababe, the executive secretary of the Borno Geographic Information Service (BOGIS), told journalists that only residents with genuine and valid documents would be eligible for compensation.

“However, I wouldn’t want to pre-empt the committee but, 99.9% of the lands occupied on the riverbank are illegal and they will be treated according to the Land Use Act. The so-called owners will not be compensated,” he said.

More than 1,300 houses were earmarked for demolition – they were marked with red ink.

Bababe said residents living along the riverbanks had been warned since 2020 not to build houses and other structures in flood-prone areas but they had gone ahead and done it, putting their lives and the lives of their loved ones at risk.

As a result, most had lost everything in the September 10 flood.

Shortly after the flood, Babagana Umara Zulum, the governor of Borno State, said: “The quantum of the destruction was enormous. It is very unfortunate that some people chose to build houses right alongside waterways. By doing so, they obstructed the passage of the water. If they had not built structures there, the water could have passed on to the lowland without affecting the city.”

Falmata Modu, a mother of four whose house was earmarked for demolition, told RNI that she was confused and did not know what to do.

“My house was marked with red ink for demolition. We were told to vacate the house but the house had already been destroyed in the flood. We have been taking temporary shelter in Bakassi internally displaced persons’ camp. We do not have money to rent another house. If the government shuts the camp, we do not know where we will go.”

Zara Umar, who is living with her family in Bakassi, told RNI: “Our house is in Fori. It has been earmarked for demolition. We cannot vacate the house because we have no means to rent a house. We do not know where we will go from here.”

Zara said her house was partially destroyed by the flood. She had to beg and plead with her neighbour to provide shelter for her elderly mother because she could not stay in the IDP camp.

“My mother cannot stay in the camp because it is extremely congested – there is not enough food and clean water and it is dirty. We were worried that she might become ill.

“We begged our neighbours to allow my mother to stay with them. We had not prepared anything before the flood and we still do not have plans. We hoped that once the water receded, we would be able to renovate the house in Fori. But that dream will not come true.

“We hope the government or one of the humanitarian agencies will help us to build a thatch house where we can take shelter. But it does not seem likely. If we get sent out of the camp, we will have to look for an empty piece of land and try to build a shelter there.”

Maryam Ali is tired of living in Bakassi camp.

“The water came and we were forced to flee. Now the flood is over and they tell us we cannot go home. I am angry and disappointed. And I’m anxious. I don’t know what we are going to do next or where we will go.

“We have been squatting here since our house in Bulabulin was destroyed in the flood. I am here with my children. If the flood was not bad enough, now we cannot even go home.

“Our house was earmarked for demolition. The authorities did not even discuss it with me. They told me it will be demolished and we will not get any compensation. That is all they said.

“The least the government could do is to compensate us so that we can find somewhere else to live. I am angry and frustrated – and I do not have the means to rent a house somewhere else.

“My children and I are staying in Bakassi because we don’t know where else to go. The camp is congested. We do not have enough food or clean water. The sanitation is poor. Lots of the children in the camp are sick. We would rather not live here. But if we get evacuated, I truly do not know what we will do or where we will go.”

Liman Gana Mustapha told RNI that residents living in floodplains had been told repeatedly that they should move to higher ground.

“We know that these areas close to the river and waterways flood almost every year. We are used to moving away during the rainy season especially when we have days and days of heavy downpours. Flooding is not unexpected – although I cannot remember any time when the flooding was as bad as this year.

“Normally we relocate to higher ground and then return to our houses when the river stops overflowing. But this year, the authorities have warned us not to go back to our houses and we were cautioned not to rebuild or renovate.

“People are upset. But the truth is that most of us built our houses without getting approval or permission from the government. And that is why the authorities will not compensate us. Still, we are hoping they will help us to find suitable accommodation. We cannot stay in Bakassi forever.”

AYSHA MUSTAPHA KOLOMI