By Abdullahi Bilal

On 9 September 2024, floods ravaged Maiduguri, the capital of Borno State in North East Nigeria, it was not the familiar terror of insurgents that gripped the city but the destructive force of nature—compounded by human greed. Thousands of homes were swallowed by water, with settlements completely submerged above the roof. Entire communities displaced, and hundreds of lives were shattered. Survivors of this calamity are still searching for their loved ones that the floods swept away. 

According to the official statistics from National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), more than 30 people were killed, over 634,035 displaced, and 94, 741 houses submerged, 125, 805 hectares of farmland submerged and crops planed completely washed away, in all 1, 061, 254 persons were affected by the flood. Yet, as devastating as these numbers are, they tell only part of the story. The real tragedy lies in the criminal neglect of vital infrastructure and the mismanagement of funds that led to the collapse of the Alau Dam—the critical structure designed to regulate water flow and prevent flooding in the region.

Despite warnings from environmental experts and residents about cracks in the dam’s walls and erosion of its embankments, the state government and its capitalist cronies ignored these red flags, prioritizing profit over human lives. In the lead-up to the disaster, authorities assured residents there was no imminent danger, despite clear evidence to the contrary. Now, the people of Maiduguri are paying the price for the systemic rot that plagues infrastructure projects across Nigeria.

The Alau Dam: A Victim of Capitalist Neglect

The Alau Dam, built in 1986 to provide water for irrigation and domestic use, was once a lifeline for local farmers and businesses. Over the years, however, as urbanization intensified and demands on the dam grew, it became overburdened and under-maintained. Rather than addressing these issues, successive administrations allowed the dam to deteriorate, diverting public funds into the pockets of politically connected contractors and business elites.

A detailed investigation revealed that ₦309 million was disbursed between 2018 and 2024 for the rehabilitation of the dam, yet none of the work was properly completed. Companies like Dalori Construction Nigeria Ltd and Hammal and Partners Ltd received millions for supposed “rehabilitation” efforts, but the dam continued to weaken. Satellite imagery confirmed that one of the two gates controlling water flow had been destroyed since 2022, further proof of negligence.

This pattern of corruption and mismanagement is not unique to Maiduguri. Across Nigeria, public infrastructure projects are routinely awarded to companies owned by the ruling elites, who are more interested in maximizing profits than ensuring public safety. Funds that could be used to improve the lives of ordinary Nigerians are instead funneled into the bank accounts of a small ruling class that controls the nation’s wealth.

The collapse of the Alau Dam has devastated Maiduguri’s economy. Farmers who once relied on the dam’s water for irrigation have lost their crops, and the fertile land that once surrounded the reservoir is now submerged. Agricultural losses are estimated to run into billions of naira, deepening the economic hardship in a region already grappling with climate change and conflict. Businesses that depend on the dam for water are also struggling, as residents are forced to rely on unsafe water sources, raising the risk of diseases like cholera and typhoid.

The human toll is equally staggering. Displacement camps, once closed after years of conflict, have reopened to accommodate flood victims. These camps are overcrowded, with little access to food, water, or healthcare. Malnutrition is on the rise, and the risk of disease outbreaks is high. For many in Maiduguri, the flood is a bitter irony: After surviving years of violence at the hands of insurgents, they now face a new threat, one caused by the greed and incompetence of their own government.

Capitalism: The Root of the Problem

At the heart of this disaster is a system that values profit over people. The capitalist ruling class in Nigeria has shown time and again that they are willing to sacrifice the well-being of the masses for their own financial gain. The awarding of contracts for critical infrastructure like the Alau Dam to their cronies, without any regard for quality or long-term sustainability, is a direct result of this profit-driven system.

The tragic flooding in Maiduguri is not an isolated incident. It is part of a broader pattern of capitalist exploitation that leaves Nigeria’s workers and poor to bear the brunt of disasters, whether man-made or natural. The ruling class, insulated from the consequences of their actions, continue to enrich themselves while ordinary Nigerians suffer.

The Working People Alternative

To end this cycle of crises, Nigeria needs an alternative to capitalism—one that prioritizes the needs of the people over the profits of the few. Socialism offers that alternative. Under a socialist system, the commanding heights of the economy, including key infrastructure projects, would be placed under the democratic control of workers. Rather than allowing a small elite to profit from public funds, the wealth of the nation would be used to serve the people.

By nationalizing critical sectors like construction, water management, and energy, and placing them under democratic workers’ control and management, we can ensure that resources are allocated based on human need, not private greed. The mismanagement and corruption that led to the collapse of the Alau Dam would be impossible in a socialist society, where accountability and transparency are fundamental principles.

The flood in Maiduguri is a stark reminder of the failures of capitalism, but it is also a call to action. Only by embracing socialism can Nigeria break free from the grip of the capitalist ruling class and build a society where disasters like this no longer happen. The time has come to place the economy in the hands of the people and to build a future where human lives are valued above all else.