Maiduguri's Struggle: Aftermath of the Devastating Dam Collapse

Mon Sep 15 2025 11:02:38 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

A year after the catastrophic dam collapse in Maiduguri, survivors recount their harrowing stories of loss and the challenges they face in rebuilding their lives amid continued threats of flooding.

In the year following the tragic dam collapse in Maiduguri, Nigeria, which led to widespread flooding and loss of life, survivors like Sa'adatu Dahiru and Maryam Jidda continue to grapple with the aftermath. With significant displacement and ongoing threats from both natural disasters and insurgency, the community struggles to secure support and rebuild lives torn apart by tragedy.

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 BBC Africa.

Dahiru recalls the heart-wrenching moment she fled her home: My children cried as we rushed out in the middle of the night carrying only a few clothes, leaving everything else behind. With governmental support soon halting, Dahiru and her family are still struggling to survive.

The Borno state government reports efforts to support affected communities, including the reconstruction of the dam that initially failed. However, the ongoing unrest due to Boko Haram insurgency complicates recovery efforts.

Maryam Jidda, another victim of the flood, reflects on her multiple displacements due to both Boko Haram's violence and the flooding. I stood in waist-deep water, crying, she recounted as she watched her possessions wash away.

As September approaches with renewed threats from rain, both Dahiru and Jidda echo a desperate question: How do we start again when we have nothing? The ongoing challenges they face signal profound resilience against adversity and suffering in the aftermath of such disasters.