News

Flood Hits Maiduguri City As Govt Close Schools For 2 Weeks

Published

1 year ago

September 10, 2024

Our Correspondent

Hundreds of residents have fled their homes, shops and schools following a devastating flood in Maiduguri, the Borno state capital

One of the victims of the flood said that the flood effected Millionaires Quarters around Gamboru Ward and its environs were also flooded even as the popular Lagos Bridge and the Moduganari bypass bridge have also been submerged and inaccessible.

Mallam Ba’aba the resident of the town said this situation is to be worse than the previous flooding incident around 1994, exactly 30 years now ago, thereby making history to repeat itself in the month of September.

The Alau Dam, which has been at full capacity for the past week, reportedly collapsed in the early hours of Tuesday.

According to the staff of Zoo park, who spoke on theflood, expressed that the Shehu Sanda Kyarimi Park, also been submerged forcing staff to relocate to a safe place, while many animals in the Zoo including crocodiles and snakes have strayed through the water channels, thereby raising apprehension amongst residents who are scampering to remove their properties floating on the raging flood.

Yagana Mustapha added that the flood almost effected parts of the state like, Zoo Road has been flooded with water gushing to the College of Health Technology in Maiduguri while the water is already going towards the Damboa Road ,Commissioner of Police Junction
Comrade Butama Abiso, who is the Executive Director, Network of Civil Society Organisations in Borno State, has urged the humanitarian action towards the victims of the flood.
According to him the flooding has left numerous families devastated and homeless, with particularly severe impact on women and children,.

He also urge on all Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and Community-Based Organisations (CBOs) under its wing to extend their assistance to the affected communities in the State.

In a statement by Usman Tar, the state commissioner for information and internal security, issued a flooding alert, urging the immediate evacuation of those living along the riverbanks.
Tar also urged residents of the affected areas to follow evacuation routes to ensure safe passage.

“Due to the unusually high volume of water this year, we urge all the residents living along the river bank to take immediate action to protect themselves and their properties,” he said.

In the meantime, the Borno State government has reopened the closed Bakassi Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camp in Maiduguri for relocation of citizens displaced by the flood.

“following the ongoing flooding across the state and its adverse effects, the Borno State Ministry of Education, Science, Technology, and Innovation has directed a statewide closure of all schools, both public and private, until Monday, Sept. 23″, the statement said .

He added that we urge all concerned parties to comply strictly with this directive.We regret any inconvenience this notice may have caused and we appreciate your understanding,” the statement added.

The schools which were initially scheduled to open on Monday, Sept. 9, but we’re forced to be closed down in less than 24 hours after resumption due to some of the schools were submerged while others are being occupied by people displaced by the flood..

Our correspondent learnt that the last time the dam collapsed was in 1994, which led to unprecedented flooding in Maiduguri, with nearly half of the town submerged.

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PSIN Administrator Commends Yobe Government for Championing Leadership Continuity and Institutional Sustainability

Published

7 hours ago

November 5, 2025

The Gleamer

Cyril Igele

The Administrator and Chief Executive Officer of the Public Service Institute of Nigeria (PSIN), Barrister Imeh Okon, has applauded the Yobe State Government for its strong commitment to leadership continuity and sustainable governance through strategic investment in human capital development.

Barrister Okon gave the commendation at the opening of a Management Retreat for Yobe State Permanent Secretaries, held at the PSIN headquarters in Abuja.

The retreat, themed “Succession Planning, Leadership Continuity, and Institutional Sustainability in the Yobe State Public Service,” convened senior bureaucrats and resource persons to discuss strategies for strengthening leadership and governance within the state’s civil service.

In her remarks, the PSIN Administrator praised Governor Mai Mala Buni for his foresight and partnership in prioritizing public sector training and capacity development. She described the theme of the retreat as both “timely and visionary,” emphasizing that institutions endure only when leadership is continuous, knowledge is shared, and systems—not individuals—drive performance.

“Institutions thrive not merely on structures or policies, but on the deliberate cultivation of capable leaders who can sustain progress across generations,” she said. “By prioritizing leadership continuity and institutional resilience, Yobe State is leading by example.”

Barrister Okon reiterated PSIN’s mandate to build a competent, ethical, and innovative public service capable of delivering tangible results to citizens. She stressed that effective succession planning must be anchored in continuous training, mentorship, and exposure to emerging governance trends.

Citing best practices from Singapore and the United Kingdom, Okon noted that successful public service systems deliberately identify and nurture potential leaders through structured talent pipelines and transparent career development programmes. According to her, Yobe State’s initiative reflects its readiness to sustain excellence in governance.

She also highlighted PSIN’s flagship programmes—SMART-P, which builds administrative and technical capacity; LEAD-P, designed to groom emerging leaders; and the Exit from Service Masterclass, which prepares officers for life after service. Okon urged the Yobe Government to adopt the Exit Masterclass into its human resource framework to ensure a smooth transition for retirees, preserve institutional knowledge, and promote productivity through entrepreneurship and consultancy.

“Succession planning is not an event but a culture that must be institutionalised at every level of public administration,” she added. “When we prepare successors in advance and invest in continuous learning, we guarantee the sustainability of reforms and consistency in governance.”

Declaring the retreat open, the Acting Head of Service of Yobe State, Alhaji Abdullahi Shehu, reaffirmed Governor Buni’s commitment to building a results-driven and high-performing public service.

Represented by the Permanent Secretary, Public Service, Alhaji Shehu, the Acting Head of Service expressed gratitude to God and lauded PSIN as the “mother institution of public service learning.” He stated that Governor Buni has consistently directed the Office of the Head of Service to promote seamless succession planning and capacity building to enhance efficiency and accountability across government institutions.

“In line with this directive, we have brought the top echelon of the state civil service to PSIN—being the drivers and core implementers of government policies and programmes—to strengthen continuity and sustainability in our reforms,” he said.

He urged participants to fully engage in the retreat, share experiences, and cascade the knowledge gained to officers across ministries, departments, and agencies. The exercise, he explained, forms part of a deliberate strategy to institutionalize effective succession planning within the Yobe State Civil Service, thereby ensuring sustained productivity and improved service delivery to citizens.

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