The House of Representatives has urged the Federal Government to allocate substantial funds in the 2025 Appropriation Bill for the development of the permanent site of the Nigerian Arabic Language Village in Maiduguri, Borno State.

The resolution followed the adoption of a motion during Thursday’s plenary, titled “Ravaging Flood Disaster in Maiduguri and Other Local Government Areas of Borno State,” sponsored by All Progressives Congress lawmaker, Abubakar Fulata.

Presenting the motion, Fulata highlighted the devastating impact of recent floods that submerged Maiduguri and its environs, including several local government areas, resulting in the loss of lives, livestock, and property worth billions of naira.

He lamented that the floodwaters damaged the Arabic Language Village, destroying essential infrastructure, including computers, ICT equipment, books, journals, and office furnishings.

“The flood compounded the challenges already faced by the centre due to the Boko Haram insurgency, disrupting its critical immersion and acculturation programmes,” Fulata said.

He warned that the centre’s inability to resume operations would leave students stranded, particularly those undergoing a compulsory one-year programme, as resources for teaching and learning, such as books and computers, remain unavailable.

Fulata called on the Federal Government to intervene, noting that the Borno State Government, which has provided support to the centre in the past, is itself overwhelmed by the scale of the disaster.

In adopting the motion, the House directed the Ministries of Budget and National Planning, Finance, Education, and Humanitarian Affairs, alongside the Accountant General of the Federation and other relevant agencies, to include significant allocations for the development of the permanent site in the 2025 budget.

The legislators also urged the government to prioritize the maintenance of the temporary site to sustain operations until the permanent site is completed.

Additionally, the House requested the immediate release of funds from service-wide votes to procure essential items necessary for resuming academic activities.

The National Emergency Management Agency was also tasked with providing relief materials to affected students and staff of the institution.

The House mandated its Committee on University Education to investigate the extent of the damage and determine the resources required to restore the centre’s operations, with a directive to report back within four weeks for further legislative action.