Niger State is one of the states often devastated by flood perennially. This is because the state is located on the flood plains of two rivers Rivers Niger and Kaduna.
Sadly, this year like the previous years’ residents again suffered losses in both lives and properties following the devastation that followed the increased volume of water.
The flood caused residents colossal loss as lives were lost, farmlands, houses, and road infrastructures were destroyed.
These rendered many people homeless as some people were automatically cut off and bridges were washed away by the flood.
Reports on the various flood disasters indicated that nine lives so far have been lost in the last one month and more are likely to occur as the rainfall is getting heavier in most parts of the state.
The disaster occurred in nine out of the 25 local government areas of the state; the areas affected mostly are, Rafi, Kontagora, Lavun, Mokwa, Lapai Wushishi, Mashegu, Magama, and Gbako.
Earlier, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Niger State called on residents of flood-prone communities to start moving to higher grounds, adding that those who reside in drainage-prone areas should evacuate their settlements to allow free flow of water.
This according to them is to serve as flood control measures.
The head, NEMA Minna Operations Office, Hajiya Zainab Sa’idu, said that it was expedient for the communities to start moving to higher grounds because consistent rainfall would increase the water levels of different rivers across the state and will likely cause havoc.
Sa’idu noted that the call became necessary following the 2022 seasonal climate prediction that forecasted normal to the above normal amount of rainfall across the country with Niger State as one of the vulnerable states.
She said: “This prediction is already playing out in Niger State as there has been consistent rainfall in recent weeks after the brief spell dry experienced.
“It is expected that the phenomenon will reduce the absorption capacity of the soil thereby leading to mass runoff water on the soil surface. Drainages /culverts should be cleared for water to flow freely without affecting buildings.”
She said that the increase in water levels would lead to flooding of houses, structures, and farmlands in communities situated along river banks.
According to her, “The 2022 seasonal climate prediction length of the growing season in Niger state is predicted to be longer in the southern part of the state lasting for about 182 days in Agaie and Lapai local government areas.”
She added that the length of season for Rafi, Shiroro and Munya would be from 154 to 163 days while Rijau will likely have less than 140 days, adding that the rainfall amount in the southern part particularly in Agaie and Lapai would be 1460mm.
Sai’du noted that the predicted rainfall amount for Munya, Wushishi, Mashegu, Bosso, Chanchaga, and Paikoro would likely be from 1260mm to 1360mm while Rijau in the northern part will experience below 1100mm.
She, therefore, called on farmers in the areas to be guided by the statistics to avoid loss of wealth and livelihoods, adding that NEMA would continue to sensitise people on the risk around them to save lives and property.
“Just last week, two lives were lost, and thousands of people displaced with road networks cut off as a result of flood,” she said.
One of such incident occurred in the Kontagora area last week, apart from two people who were confirmed dead in the flood disaster; six communities were completely taken over by the flood, and 237 people were affected by the disaster causing untold hardship for the people.
The chairman of Kontagora Local Government, Alhaji Shehu Pawa confirmed that 237 people were affected by the flood, and two deaths were recorded, based on the council on the spot assessment, indicating that it could be more.
No doubt, residents now rue the losses; at Hayin Hakimi one of the six communities destroyed by the flood disaster, a resident Mohammed Halidu told LEADERSHIP Weekend that their houses and properties were destroyed and they were left with nothing.
He said the situation has affected their economic lives as they have lost all they had to the flood and needed urgent interventions for them to survive.
Another victim Musa Umar Musa a Butcher said he lost wares worth over N2 million as a result of the flood and wondered where he will start from, as all his life earnings were lost.
Another victim Ibrahim Abubakar said that the entire shop where he sold cement has been washed away and he could not quantify the loss even as the flooding continued unabated.
In the same vein, it was learnt that some communities around Rijau and Magama witnessed the same kind of flood while some communities in Niger south, for instance, relocated from their communities as the flood caused havoc forcing them to relocate to public buildings.
Similarly last week a bridge along the Bida-Minna road finally collapsed at Sagamio Farms about 23 kilometers from Bida and 60 kilometers from Minna thereby cutting the two major cities in Niger state off from each other.
LEADERSHIP gathered that the collapse of the bridge was as a result of the torrential rainfall across the state throughout the week.
The bridge is a major link between Bida and Minna on a stream that is one of the tributaries of River Niger, which has overflowed its banks as a result of the rains.
Findings revealed that the rain has flooded most towns and villages along the banks before the collapsed bridge that has turned into a large chasm, impassable and left road users stranded.
“The bridge collapsed totally on Sunday making commuters plying the Minna-Bida Road are stranded as you can see” a villager Ismaila Abubakar told LEADERSHIP.
A commuter stranded on the road Mohammed Aliyu told LEADERSHIP that “Most vehicles coming from the Ilorin-Mokwa-Jebba axis and Minna, unaware of the development, are now trapped at the spot, we have been here the whole day .”
“ Smaller vehicles were able to make a U-turn to take another route to their various destinations, but heavy-duty trucks, trailers, and tankers remained stranded,” he added.
Another motorist Nma Nda said because of the collapsed bridge they were forced to go back to Bida and pass through Lemu in Gbako local government area to Wushishi to get to Minna for an official engagement
The Director General of the State Emergency Management Agency, Ahmed Inga confirmed to journalists the incidents and the efforts to mitigate the situation.
“We have continued to provide designed evolution that has responded to disaster occurrences and as we battle with the reality of changing climate and with the latest NiMet prediction of four days of heavy rainfall in five States of the Federation which includes our State, we are not relenting our efforts to sensitize people in the prone areas on the need for them to vacate their homes temporarily for more safety areas,” he said.
Also, governor Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello who paid a sympathetic visit to the people affected by the flood disaster in Kontagora local government; donated 100 fabrics, and 500 bags of grains comprising rice, maize, and millet as relief materials.
He presented the items to the Emir of Kontagora at his palace for onward distribution to the victims, affirming that the gesture was to ameliorate the sufferings of the people.
The governor consoled the Emir and those that lost their family members as well as properties to the disaster and directed the Ministry of Environment to collaborate with relevant Ministries and the Kontagora local government council to demolish all structures built on waterways as a way of averting future occurrences.
“On the technical side, we have to find a way to expand the river, to desilt it so that there will be free flow of water when it rains. A lot of them were paid compensation to leave and they refused. So we are just going to go ahead and bring down the houses along the waterlines,” he said.
The governor enjoined the people to be conscious of their environments as the rains continue to fall.
The state’s commissioner for Environment, Daniel Habila Galadima said that the Ministries of Environment, Water Resources, and Works as well as Kontagora Emirate and the local government council will partner to ensure that the directive of the Governor is accomplished.
He assured that the required design for a lasting solution to the flooding will be ready by the end of September 2022 and a high level of sensitisation will be made to avoid building on waterways.
“By the time we solve the problem, there will be the need to create awareness so that people will stop building along waterways and ensure that water bodies/ holdings/shades are protected,” he stated.
