The Kebbi State Government says it has recorded significant progress in efforts to revitalise the Birnin Kebbi waterworks to restore normal water supply to the state capital.
The Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Alhaji Yakubu Bala-Tafida, made this known in Birnin Kebbi, the state capital, on Thursday, January 1, 2026, while inspecting ongoing repair works at the facility.
Bala-Tafida said Gov. Nasir Idris had constituted a task force to ensure speedy resuscitation of the waterworks supplying Birnin Kebbi township.
He added that the task force comprises the SSG, the Commissioner for Information and Culture, Alhaji Yakubu Ahmed-BK, officials of the Ministry of Water Resources, security agencies and technical staff of the Kebbi State Water Board.
He said: “We have seen remarkable progress in the effort to resuscitate the waterworks.
“We will remain on ground until everything that needs to be done is completed.”
Earlier, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Water Resources, Alhaji Isah Arzika, explained that engineers had detected a major burst at the Dukki waterworks shortly after the lifting period on Wednesday.
He said that by the time the engineers arrived, the lifting machines had already been submerged, but swift action was taken to shut them down to minimise damage.
Arzika added that pumping machines had since been sourced and deployed to evacuate flooded areas.
He added that “fortunately, the evacuation was completed by about 11 p.m. yesterday.
“As you can see, the six intake machines are now visible and no longer submerged.”
The permanent secretary noted that a team of engineers was already on site to dismantle the machines and move them for proper drying and testing.
“We are confident that the machines will function properly after drying and testing. Whatever needs to be done will be done,” Arzika assured.
He appealed to the public for patience, assuring that the state government was doing everything humanly possible to restore normal water supply.
The General Manager of the state Water Board, Alhaji Zayyanu Shehu, also assured residents that water supply would be fully restored within one week.
By Ibrahim Bello