Hadejia-Jama’are RBDA Orders Immediate Repair of Vandalised Canal After Flooding Destroys 100 Hectares of Farmland

The Managing Director of the Hadejia Jama’are River Basin Development Authority (HJRBDA), Rabiu Suleiman Bichi, has ordered the immediate repair of a breached section of the authority’s main irrigation canal in Fatawali, Miga Local Government Area of Jigawa State.

Bichi issued the directive during an unscheduled inspection visit following reports that some individuals illegally breached the canal to divert water to their farmlands, causing flooding that affected more than 100 hectares of cultivated land.

According to him, the unauthorized action disrupted water flow to the Hadejia Barrage Reservoir and downstream users, posing a serious threat to irrigation activities and water supply across the area.

The managing director directed the project manager to commence immediate repairs on the damaged canal section and work with security agencies to identify, arrest and prosecute those responsible for the act.

Bichi recalled that a similar incident occurred in Mashau village, also in Miga Local Government Area, last year but was swiftly contained by the authority.

He noted that the authority has intensified efforts to improve water management within the basin through routine canal maintenance, desilting operations and the removal of invasive Typha grass, with support from local communities.

The measures, he said, have helped conserve about 11 million cubic metres of water while significantly improving the canal system’s water-carrying capacity.
He added that the improvements enabled the reopening of the North Gate secondary canal, allowing farmers to irrigate their farmlands during the dry season for the first time in several years.
During the visit, Bichi also inspected Trimming Radio Station, a farmers-focused radio initiative supervised by the authority. He directed the station’s management to sustain programmes that educate farmers on modern agricultural practices and irrigation technologies.

He further urged the station to intensify public awareness campaigns on innovations introduced by the authority, particularly drip irrigation and greenhouse farming techniques, to enhance agricultural productivity.

The managing director also inspected irrigation lands allegedly encroached upon by unknown individuals, with a view to reclaiming the affected areas and ensuring transparent engagement with local farming communities.

Reaffirming the authority’s commitment to safeguarding water resources and critical irrigation infrastructure, Bichi warned that anyone found sabotaging public facilities would face the full weight of the law.

He pledged continued maintenance of irrigation facilities to protect farmers’ livelihoods and support food production across the Hadejia-Jama’are Basin.