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No fewer than 229 persons have been killed, 386,239 displaced and 94,492 houses affected by floods across  29 states in the last 9 months.

Data released by the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), yesterday, showed that floods have had the most impact on the North East and North West regions.

The data from the agency’s National Emergency Operations Centre, also revealed that the South West had the lowest number of affected and displaced persons.

The North East ranked the highest with 364,766 affected persons, 213,871 displaced persons, 82 deaths, 34,187 affected houses, and 82,588 affected farmlands. No lives were lost in Akwa Ibom, Benue Ekiti, Enugu, Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Gombe, Imo, Kogi, Kwara, Lagos, Ondo, Oyo and Plateau States.

States with the most affected farmlands included Bauchi, Taraba, Niger,  Jigawa, Sokoto, Kebbi, Adamawa, Zamfara, Kano, Yobe, Enugu and Borno States.

Meanwhile, the people and government of Borno State are facing a humanitarian crisis following the collapse of Alau Dam after being at full capacity for weeks.

Consequently, over 200,000 residents have been displaced and critical infrastructure, including the Post Office and Maiduguri Teaching Hospital damaged. Strategic areas including parts of the Shehu of Borno Palace, Maiduguri Central Market and University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital have been submerged. Other areas badly hit included the GRA, Maiduguri Zoo, College of Nursing, College of Agriculture and School of Health Technology, among others. At press time, many residents were seen evacuating basic items to areas considered relatively safer, with some youths erecting sandbags to prevent flood from entering their quarters.

Jailbreak

Amid the flooding, there has been a prison break, with unconfirmed number of inmates escaping from the city’s Custodial facility.

The rising waters damaged the prison, breaching security barriers and weakening the structure, allowing inmates to flee.

Authorities have confirmed that the escapees were highly dangerous and may be armed, posing a heightened risk to public safety in the region already affected by insurgency.

A manhunt is ongoing with law enforcement agencies mobilising additional resources to recapture the inmates.

Situation terrible

At press time, the state government was yet to issue official figures of casualties but had ordered the closure of public and private schools for two weeks.

“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.

“The Alau Dam water has broken down another channel that is currently destroying farms and the water is heading toward the river bank,” a government  statement said.

Already, some institutions and government agencies have shut down. The University of Maiduguri has been closed till further notice. The university management announced the temporary closure in a statement yesterday by its registrar, Ahmad A. Lawan.

The Borno State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) described the situation as terrible. According to the Director General, Mr. Barkindo Mohammed, water from the dam has continued to submerge various wards in the town while thousands of displaced residents were scouting for safer places.

He said the agency has commenced rescue operations and distribution of sandbags. “Just now, we went for a rescue and proceeded to distribute sandbags in Gozari. As I am talking to you now I am trapped; we came to rescue some people and we are now trapped with my staff,’’ he said.

Beware of deadly animals unleashed by flood

The state government also warned residents to beware of crocodiles, snakes and other deadly animals washed away by flood.

A statement by Ali Don Best, general manager of the Borno State Museum Park, said the flood washed away deadly animals like crocodiles and snakes in the communities.

“We are calling on the general public to be aware and take all the necessary precautionary measures to avoid these animals. With regret, sense of concern and responsibility, the General Manager wishes to ensure safety and protection for the remaining living things within his jurisdiction.”

Tinubu pledges support

President Bola Tinubu has assured Governor Babagana Zulum that the Federal Government was prepared to collaborate to address the urgent humanitarian needs of the displaced.

In a statement by Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, Tinubu extended his condolences to the affected families and emphasised the need for immediate evacuation of those in danger.

He directed the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to assist victims even as he pledged to mobilise federal resources to support the state during this crisis.

He has also directed his deputy, Kashim Shettima, to, as a matter of urgency, visit Maiduguri.

. Worst in 3 decades – Shettima

Shettima, former governor of the state, has described the floods as the most catastrophic in over three decades in the state capital

Speaking during an on-the-spot assessment in Maiduguri, Shettima said the impacts of the floods exceeded estimation, but assured that the Federal Government would prioritise the welfare of the affected communities.

“The flood’s unprecedented scale has presented challenges beyond our previous experiences. The disaster serves as a sobering reminder of the increasing threats posed by climate change, not just globally, but particularly to North East regions. Nigeria’s vulnerability to flood disasters has been highlighted time and again, as witnessed during the devastating floods of 2012, 2018, and 2022.

“The factors contributing to these recurring disasters are diverse, and it is for this reason that Tinubu has developed a comprehensive roadmap to address these challenges headlong. Nonetheless, the Federal Government remains determined in its commitment,” he said.

Shettima said as with other states facing similar crises, the government was resolute in mobilising all necessary resources to ensure the safety and support of affected persons.

Northern governors

The Northern States Governors’ Forum has expressed deep concern for people who have been adversely affected by the calamity.

Chairman of the Forum, Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, in a statement, on behalf of the 19 northern governors, extended assurances of solidarity and support to Governor Zulum and the people of the state.

He expressed concern for other states in the North and across Nigeria facing similar flooding incidents, urging the Federal Government and humanitarian organisations to boost their relief efforts.

Governor Yahaya commended the swift response of the State government and the efforts of emergency responders and other volunteers on the ground. He called on NEMA and other relevant agencies to intensify their interventions to provide relief to affected residents, particularly women, children, and vulnerable groups and prayed for the protection and well-being of all affected communities, trusting that with collective action, the people will overcome this challenge and rebuild stronger.

Floods in Borno, others national calamity -Buhari.

Former president, Muhammadu Buhari, has commiserated with the government and people of Borno and the other states.

Buhari said he had heard of the widespread devastation of homes, farmland, and the loss of life in Borno and several other states of the federation. He expressed his hope that the relief measures by the various governments would provide comfort and help people who had lost their family members and livelihood to resume their normal lives.

“My thoughts and prayers are with all those affected by this natural disaster,” he said.

Ndume devastated

Meanwhile, former Senate Chief Whip, Mohammed Ali Ndume, has called on the Federal Government to immediately intervene and support the State government as well as the affected residents and homes.

In a statement, Ndume who represents Borno South Senatorial district just returned from the state where he reached out to families affected by insurgency in the district. He said he was devastated by the news report about the ravaging flood.

He said all hands must be on deck, including development partners and other agencies of government, to immediately mobilise and come to the aid of affected residents and homes in Maiduguri.

Ndume explained that the state government, being very proactive, has already activated all mechanisms to salvage the situation, by evacuating people from affected areas and providing the needed support.

He, however, lamented that the gravity of the damage by the flooding was beyond the state government, hence the need for the Federal Government to immediately step in and give residents the needed support.

His words: “What has happened in my dear State capital, Maiduguri is unfortunate. The level of damage is very bad. I’ve been briefed and what I’ve heard isn’t not something we should take likely.

“Homes, institutions, government agencies, and other businesses have been submerged in the flood. Many people are trapped and are trying to evacuate. I’m worried that the situation may get worse unless the Federal Government immediately steps in to assist the State Government in salvaging the situation.

“I’m also calling on various international partners, development agencies and men of goodwill to do something urgent before we’ll witness the kind of human disaster in Maiduguri that will be unimaginable.

“I’m in touch with my colleagues, the State Government, its officials and other stakeholders on what we can do to solve the situation.  I hope in the future, we’ll be able to guide against this occurrence. This is a serious disaster and we need the prayers and support of every Nigerian.”

Tech leaders, academics, policymakers, and entrepreneurs from across Africa and beyond have gathered in Nigeria to discuss the opportunities and challenges raised by the development and use of artificial intelligence (AI).

The 2024 Pan-African AI Conference in Lagos, co-hosted by the United States, is seen as a significant step in Africa’s technological future.

In his opening remarks, Nigeria’s Minister for Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, said Nigeria and the world must ensure the “digital transformation journey is inclusive, equitable, and human-focused.”

“For us to truly harness artificial intelligence to our collective benefit, we must be deliberate and collaborative in our approach,” he said.

Tijani also announced a $61,000 Artificial Intelligence fund for Nigeria’s brightest AI startups.

Lagos is often referred to as the Silicon Valley of Africa.

The city’s energy was mirrored at the conference as delegates from more than 30 African countries mingled with their counterparts from the US to share ideas and explore the future of AI on the continent.

Dr Seth Center, Acting Special Envoy for Critical and Emerging Technology said there were two main challenges with regards to the future of AI.

“One is to create the kind of safe and secure governance framework that is going to enable, not hinder innovation, that can create confidence in citizens anywhere in the world, really to use AI embedded in their lives,” he said.

Center added that the second challenge was to create the enabling business environment that can encourage the private sector to develop and to invest in Nigeria to enable the kind of AI build-out that I think is in our mutual interest”.

The Nigeria and the United States collaboration highlighted the importance of cross-continental partnerships in driving technological innovation, with both countries recognising the vast potential AI holds for economic and social development.

A brother of World Cup winner Paul Pogba will stand trial with five other men as part of an extortion case that targeted the soccer player two years ago.

The prosecutor’s office said Tuesday that Mathias Pogba was ordered to stand trial “for the offenses of attempted extortion and criminal conspiracy.” The court date has not been announced. The five others — identified by their first names only — allegedly demanded $14.3 million from the France midfielder, and repeatedly intimidated him.

They are accused of extortion and attempted extortion by using violence, abduction and confinement to facilitate a crime or misdemeanor, as well as criminal conspiracy.

During the investigation, Pogba said he paid some 70,000 dollars to the organized group including his brother.

The case became public in August 2022 after Mathias Pogba posted a video on social media claiming he’d share “explosive” revelations about his brother Paul, his agent Rafaela Pimenta, and Mbappé.

Mathias Pogba was briefly detained.

He was also a soccer player who spent most of his career with lower-tier teams in Europe

Three men in South Africa are accused of killing two women and feeding their bodies to pigs on their farm in a case that has outraged the public.

The men appeared in court Tuesday in the northern province of Limpopo. The state wants them to remain behind bars until their trial is concluded.

Farm owner Zachariah Johannes Olivier, supervisor Andrian Rudolph de Wet and employee William Musora face two counts of premeditated murder, one count of attempted murder and possession of an unlicensed firearm. Musora, a Zimbabwean national, also faces charges of being in the country illegally.

It is alleged that in August, a truck belonging to a dairy company dumped potentially expired goods at Olivier’s farm, prompting the women, Locadia Ndlovu and Maria Makgatho, to trespass and try to collect the products.

Both were shot and killed. A man with them was injured and crawled to a nearby road to scream for help. He told police, who found the women’s decomposed bodies in a pigsty.

Several political parties protested outside Mankweng Magistrates Court, calling for the men to be denied bail and face the harshest possible sentence. The South African Human Rights Commission called on the public not to take the law into their hands in retaliation.

Violent crimes on South Africa’s farms have been a concern for years, including the killing of farmers by criminals and farmers’ abuse of workers.

The case will continue next month.

More 40 people were killed in an Israeli strike on a crowded designated humanitarian safe zone for displaced Palestinians in Gaza on Tuesday.

It is being reported that at least four missiles hit the tent encampment of Al-Mawasi near Khan Younis in the early hours of the morning.

The attack, which wounded at least 60 others, set tents ablaze and left several craters as deep as nine metres.

Israel said it targeted what it claims was a “significant” number of Hamas militants operating in the area.

The group has denied Israeli allegations that gunmen were present at the strip of land along the coastline, calling it a “blatant lie”.

Neither Israel nor Hamas provided evidence to substantiate their claims.

There have been a number of deadly Israeli attacks this year on the Al-Mawasi area, which aid agencies say is now home to more than 380 thousand people.

Civil defence teams are continuing to search for victims who may be buried under the sand. It said entire families were killed in their tents.

Attaf al-Shaar, who was displaced from the southern city of Rafah, said the strike happened just after midnight and caused a fire.

“The people were buried in the sand. They were retrieved as body parts,” she told an reporter at the scene.

Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, one of three hospitals to receive casualties, said around two dozen bodies were brought in from the strike.

Israeli evacuation orders now cover around 90 per cent of the territory.

Nearly all of Gaza’s 2.3 million people have been forced from their homes at least once, and some have had to flee as many as 10 times.

The war was triggered on 7 October when Hamas attacked southern Israel, killing 1,200 people and taking about 250 hostages, according to Israeli tallies.

More than 40,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israel’s subsequent offensive on Gaza, according to the enclave’s health ministry.

The United States, Egypt and Qatar have spent much of this year trying to broker an agreement for a ceasefire and the release of the hostages.

However, talks have repeatedly bogged down as Israel and Hamas accuse each other of making new and unacceptable demands.

The war has plunged Gaza into a humanitarian crisis, and humanitarian groups have struggled to provide aid because of ongoing fighting, Israeli restrictions, and the breakdown of law and order.

The main United Nations agency providing aid to Palestinians said Israeli troops stopped a convoy taking part in a polio vaccination campaign for more than eight hours on Monday, despite it coordinating with the military.

UNRWA head Philippe Lazzarini said the staff who were held had been taking part in the campaign in northern Gaza and Gaza City.

He said the convoy later returned to a UN base, but it was unclear if the vaccination campaign would take place Tuesday in northern Gaza.

The immunisation drive was launched after doctors discovered the first polio case in the enclave in 25 years.

It hopes to vaccinate 640,000 children.

It wasn’t the debate either candidate expected months ago — but it’s shaping up to be the most anticipated event to date in the 2024 presidential contest.

Donald Trump and Kamala Harris will square off on a Philadelphia stage next Tuesday for the first — and perhaps, only — time before November’s crucial election.

The meeting comes just two-and-a-half months after president Joe Biden’s disastrous debate performance that upended his re-election bid.

While few expect a similar political earthquake to result from this matchup, both sides will be looking to score that knock-out blow.

“The stakes for Tuesday night’s debate couldn’t be any greater,” says University of Michigan presidential debate expert Aaron Kall.

“This is kind of the first time we’ll get to see both candidates on the stage together for the first time they’ve ever been in the same room,” Kall adds.

Harris and Trump will be sparring in a state expected to play a crucial role in November’s election.

Polls show the candidates essentially tied in Pennsylvania – a key swing state that has sided with the winner of the last two presidential contests by just tens of thousands of votes.

“Given this is one night only and the unique history and circumstances surrounding it, it is going to be unforgettable and could go down as you know, one of the most impactful debates of all time,” Kall says.

Like the June debate between Trump and Biden, Tuesday’s showdown will have no live audience and the candidates’ mics will be muted when it is the other person’s turn to speak.

Trump sees the square off as his best chance yet to end the political “honeymoon” Harris has enjoyed since taking over this summer as the Democratic candidate.

“This may be his last chance to change the narrative and the trajectory of the race. This 90 minute event will be the way to do it,” Kall says.

Harris, a former courtroom prosecutor, will enter the night with relatively high expectations against a Republican opponent with 34 felony convictions and a penchant for false statements.

The question is whether Harris, who did not particularly stand out during primary debates in her 2020 presidential campaign, can prosecute Trump’s glaring liabilities in a face-to-face meeting on live television with the world watching.

“I think the stakes are great for both candidates. Maybe a little higher for Harris in that she’s not as defined. And she’s had such a good rollout from July…so people are expecting a lot,” he says.

With less than two months to go before voters head to the polls – and early voting in some states starting just around the corner – Tuesday’s matchup could be a defining moment in a presidential election that has already – repeatedly – defied history.

More than 16 months of war in Sudan has killed more than 20,000 people, a senior United Nations official said Sunday, a grim figure amid a devastating conflict that has wrecked the northeastern African country.

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director general of the World Health Organization, gave the tally at a news conference in Sudan’s Red Sea city of Port Sudan, which serves as the seat of the internationally recognized, military-backed government. He said the death toll could be much higher.

“Sudan is suffering through a perfect storm of crisis,” Tedros said as he wrapped up his two-day visit to Sudan. “The scale of the emergency is shocking, as is the insufficient action being taken to curtail the conflict.”

Sudan was plunged into chaos in April last year when simmering tensions between the military and a powerful paramilitary group, the Rapid Support Forces, exploded into open warfare across the country.

The conflict has turned the capital, Khartoum, and other urban areas into battlefields, wrecking civilian infrastructure and an already battered health care system. Without the basics, many hospitals and medical facilities have closed their doors.

The conflict has created the world’s largest displacement crisis. More than 13 million people have been forced to flee their homes since fighting began, according to the International Organization for Migration. They include over 2.3 million who have fled to neighboring countries as refugees.

The fighting has been marked by atrocities including mass rape and ethnically motivated killings that amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity, according to the U.N. and international rights groups.

On Friday, U.N.-backed human rights investigators urged the creation of an “independent and impartial force” to protect civilians, blaming both sides for war crimes including murder, mutilation and torture.

Devastating seasonal floods in recent weeks have compounded the misery. Dozens of people have been killed and critical infrastructure has been washed away in 12 of Sudan’s 18 provinces, according to local authorities.

A cholera outbreak is the latest calamity for the country. The disease has killed at least 165 and sickened about 4,200 others in recent weeks, the health ministry said in its latest update on Friday.

“We are calling on the world to wake up and help Sudan out of the nightmare it’s living through,” Tedros said, adding that an immediate cease-fire is urgently required.

“The best medicine is peace,” he added.

Torrential downpours hit North Africa’s normally arid mountains and deserts over the weekend, causing flooding that killed more than a dozen people in Morocco and Algeria and destroyed homes and critical infrastructure.

In Morocco, officials said the two days of storms surpassed historic averages, in some cases exceeding the annual average rainfall. The downpours affected some of the regions that experienced a deadly earthquake one year ago.

Meteorologists had predicted that a rare deluge could strike North Africa’s Sahara Desert, where many areas receive less than an inch of rain a year.

Officials in Morocco said 11 people were killed in rural areas where infrastructure has historically been lacking, and 24 homes collapsed. Nine people were missing. Drinking water and electrical infrastructure were damaged, along with major roads.

Rachid El Khalfi, Morocco’s Interior Ministry spokesperson, said in a statement on Sunday that the government was working to restore communication and access to flooded regions in the “exceptional situation” and urged people to use caution.

In neighboring Algeria, which held a presidential election over the weekend, authorities said at least five died in the country’s desert provinces. Interior Minister Brahim Merad called the situation “catastrophic” on state-owned television.

Algeria’s state-run news service APS said the government had sent thousands of civil protection and military officers to help with emergency response efforts and rescue families stuck in their homes. The floods also damaged bridges and trains.

A fuel tanker collided head-on with another truck in Nigeria on Sunday causing an explosion that killed more than 50 people, the country’s emergency response agency said.

The fuel tanker was also carrying cattle in the Agaie area in north-central Niger state and at least 50 of them were burned alive, Abdullahi Baba-Arab, director-general of the Niger State Emergency Management Agency, said.

Search and rescue operations were underway at the scene of the accident, Baba-Arab said.

Baba-Arab said initially that 30 bodies were found but in a later statement an additional 18 bodies of victims who were burned to death in the collision were found. He said the dead had been given a mass burial.

Mohammed Bago, governor of Niger state, said residents of the affected area should remain calm and asked road users to “always be cautious and abide by road traffic regulations to safeguard lives and property.”

With the absence of an efficient railway system to transport cargo, fatal truck accidents are common along most major roads in Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country.

According to Nigeria’s Federal Road Safety Corps, 1,531 gasoline tanker crashes resulted in 535 fatalities and 1,142 injuries in 2020 alone.

Fighter jets perform white-knuckle manoeuvres in the skies above Egypt.

They are performing feats of aerial acrobatics at the first International Aviation and Space Exhibition in El Alamein.

The exhibition promises to showcase the latest developments in aviation and space technology, and includes a range of aircraft, spacecraft and defence systems.

The runway is lined with the latest military aircraft and helicopters for visitors to view.

One of the main exhibitors is Turkish Aerospace – which is showcasing a wide variety of its latest aeronautical innovations.

The Turkish delegation will be hoping to secure orders for its fifth generation Kaan fighter jet.

The Kaan has been in development since 2010 with the aim to replace the Turkish Airforce’s F16 fighters.

Mehmet Demiroğlu, CEO of Turkish Aerospace says: “It is very important for us that we find an opportunity to work together not only Egyptian authorities Air Force but also the others that we can satisfy their needs in terms of training as well as a light attack version of it. So that is our centre piece of this show, we are also receiving lots of interest for a number of other products, attack helicopters, and of course 5th generation Kaan.”

It is a twin-engine, all-weather, air-superiority fighter and Turkish Aerospace is hoping to sell the plane to foreign governments.

The Kaan has a top speed of 1.8 mach and a service ceiling of 17,000 metres.

It can be equipped with air to air and surface missiles, as well as a bomb payload.

It conducted its maiden flight in February of this year at the Murted airfield north of Ankara.

“Delighted to see Egypt participating in any of our programs including Kaan, but that is as I said up too Egyptian authorities, Air Force and the presidency level, but we are ready, we are working on it, we have it, we are one of four countries who has 5th generation, and we are working on the 6th generation,” adds Demiroğlu.

The Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi attended the exhibition, alongside delegations from Russia, China and UAE.

Inside the busy exhibition hall stands from many countries are showing off models of their latest missile, rocket, drone and quadcopters.

From the UAE is EDGE, who specialises in UAV’s (unmanned aerial vehicles).

On the stand it is showcasing the Garmoosha – a light unmanned drone capable of carrying a 100kg payload with a six-hour endurance and a range of 150km.

Yousef Abdulla Al Blooshi, head of business development at EDGE says: “We are showcasing some of the products specialized in the aviation sector, we have some unmanned systems, drones, in addition to air weapons and missiles.”

The Egypt International Aviation and Space Exhibition 2024, the first of its kind, brings together senior officials at El Alamein International Airport and will run for three days. The event runs from September 3 – 5.