After opening a dam to release excess water, many rice farmlands in Shonga, Edu local government area of Kwara State, have been submerged.
LEADERSHIP gathered that the devastating flooding happened in the early hours of Sunday.
A source told LEADERSHIP that the damage to rice farmlands in Bida and its environs is colossal.
This development has necessitated the state governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, to set up a committee to investigate “the unusual flooding of several rice farmlands in Shonga, Edu local government area of the state.”
“The deputy chief of staff leads the committee to the governor, Princess Bukola Babalola.
Other members of the committee are commissioners for Agriculture, Water Resources, and Environment; a special adviser on Special Duties; a senior special assistant on Security to the governor, Alhaji Muhyideen Aliu; the Kwara State Emergency Management Agency; a director in the Office of the Secretary to the State Government (secretary); and the Kwara State Social Investment Programme.
A statement signed by the governor’s chief press secretary, Rafiu Ajakaye, said: “The committee is to visit the affected areas on a fact-finding mission, where it will deliver the government’s condolence message to His Royal Highness, Emir of Shonga, Dr Haliru Yahyah Ndanusa (OON) and the victims.”
When contacted, the chairman of the Edu local government area, Alh Abdullahi Bello, confirmed the flooding of rice farmlands in Shonga.
He said the devastating flood resulted from the opening of a dam somewhere.
“There was a devastating flooding of several rice farmlands in Shonga. It was caused by the release of water from a dam. My team, alongside the state government delegation, visited Shonga for the on-the-spot assessment and to commiserate with the Emir of Shonga and the victims. We’re just leaving Shonga now, ” Bello said when he spoke with LEADERSHIP at 4:30pm on Sunday.
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