In a troubling incident, suspected vandals targeted the Birninkudu Water Treatment Plant in Birninkudu Local Government Area of Jigawa, causing significant damage and theft of equipment valued at over N20 million. The attack, which left workers beaten and injured, has raised concerns about water supply disruptions in the state.
The Commissioner for Water Resources, Alhaji Ibrahim Garba, expressed deep concern about the incident and pledged that the government would take strong measures against those sabotaging efforts to provide clean water to the state’s residents. Garba described the incident as unprecedented, marking the first such attack in the plant’s 50-year history.
Similar acts of vandalism and theft have been reported across the state, affecting water facilities in Kazaure, Babura, Gumel, and Dutse. These criminal actions have not only caused hardship for the citizens in accessing clean water but have also hindered the government’s commitment to providing water for all.
Garba urged the public to take ownership of government facilities in their communities and report any suspicious activities around these facilities to the security agencies promptly.
Malam Yunusa Shuaibu, the Zonal Manager of the Jigawa Water Board responsible for Birninkudu, Buji, and Gwaram, revealed that the vandals launched their attack around midnight on a Tuesday. He and his staff were assaulted, tied up, and the facility was ransacked. Numerous valuable items were stolen, including cables, rotors, batteries, pumps, impellers, and more.
The Chairman of the Council, Alhaji Magaji Yusif, emphasized that a substantial portion of the local population depended on the water facility for their daily needs. Due to the vandalism, a significant portion of the 200,000 residents in the area now face difficulties accessing water.
The water treatment plant, constructed in 1972, has a capacity to treat 400 cubic liters of water per hour. Yusif pledged that the council would take proactive measures to prevent future incidents and ensure the uninterrupted supply of water while awaiting the state government’s repairs to the facility.