These are indeed tough times for internally-displaced persons in Gujba and Damaturu, the state capital following reports of several challenges confronting them.
Apart from not having a comfortable place of abode, the unfortunate persons numbering over 1,000 in the state, now have to contend with hunger and starvation.
It was indeed quite evident that food shortage and absence of basic medical facilities represent the major problems confronting the internally displaced persons.
Leadership Weekeend went round the makeshift internally displaced persons (IDPs) camps that were set up at Pompamari Primary School in the town and the experience of the victims was echoed in similitude.
The displaced persons were observed to be sleeping on mats with no provision of mattresses yet by the state government. Many of them also said they depend on donation of food from residents to survive.
Musa Adamu Pompamari, an elderly man and one of the victims who resides at Waziri Ibrahim by Pass said though the flooding has become a yearly experience for them in the area, they have never witnessed one as devastating as the last few days’.
“It has been a sad and unforgettable moment in our lives, we have witnessed flooding but not like this one. All of our houses were submerged. If you stand up, the water level reaches the chest, some to their waist, others around their laps. We pray this will never happen again,” he said.
Adamu Buba appealed to the government and concerned authorities to come to their aid. Mallam Muhammad is taking shelter with her children at a school building along with hundreds of others.
He said, “This is the worst moment of our lives; we have no place to call home, no food and no shelter. We are now squatting at a school; hopeless, as you can see. “We are all here with our children suffering, with no clue as to where to start from.
“We are appealing to the government to extend help so we can rebuild hope and our homes, I want to advice the governor Hon Mai Mala Buni, to seat a committee to investigate the distribution of reliefs materials to IDPs, becouse most of the residents have not receive anything from the government” said Hajiya Fatima.
Another floods victim, Mallm Modu, a grandfather, while sitting with other victims at a temporary camp, said he could only attribute what happened to the will of God.
However, he lamented that hunger, lack of shelter and where to call home are their major challenges at the moment. Since i was arriving here. I have not seen anything from government physically. We use to read on newspapers or listing on the air government has distributions foodstuffs. But nothing like that.
“We have been here for around two weeks now. All our homes have collapsed, we have nowhere to go now and you can see where we are living. Government has failed to provide social amenities or to takecare of ourself. No food, no water to drink, no toilets for personal use. Nothing onground.
“In this school alone, we are about 1000 or more taking refuge here. Life has become more difficult and backward for us. You can see us, our children and grandchildren all living in a school,” he said.
Leadership Weekeend gathered that, the recent disaster started some weeks ago when there was a heavy downpour and all water routes began to overflow into the streets and eventually residential buildings, rousing people from their sleep into a state of dispair.
Our correspondent who went round the town reports that some of the victims of the flood disaster were seen stranded looking for where they can park their belongings and other necessary emergency interventions.
Residents said heavy rainfall triggered the overflowing of the streams and waterway around the area. The state roads where there’s no drainage, somewhere else the drainage is too smail for the passing water.
“Flooding is now a common thing, in villages around here. The effect of the flood is enormous. As you, can see, all these houses have been submerged since the beginning of this year’s rainy season,” said a commercial driver, Dan Fulani.
Speaking on the situation, the leader, who spoke on behalf of the Internal displace persons , said the flood has destroyed over 700 to 1000 houses within the state capital alone.
“Around 700 households are now displaced. People are helpless and unclear of what to do. Apart from washing away many homes and rendering many homeless, the floods also washed away farm crops and livestock.
Another residents who spoke to Leadership Weekeend blamed the disaster on a poor drainage system in many parts of the state capital, caused by uncontrolled physical development.
Many of the victims who are yet to relocate despite signs of more rains said they need government support to get new homes. As a result of heavy rain in many houses were destroyed, other building structures were affected and many people rendered homeless in the town.
According to the report, the flood is affecting thousands of people in the Community, stressing that there is no single year that such community do not face the problem.
Speaking to Leadership Weekeend one of the residents of the community, BunuBala, said they have repeatedly been calling on government and other humanitarian agencies to come to their aids, but yet, no any response from both.
He said that, many people in the community were forced to vacate their houses as a result of the flood, adding that Many of them were also seriously in need of shelter, food and other relief materials.
However, People of other Communities, like Maisandari, Sumsumma, tsamiyar lilo, Pomfamari are still faced with similar challenge, appealing to Yobe State Government to come in the by constructing proper drainage, road and other facilities.
A widow and mother of five who gave her name as Saratu Bukar said she sent her children to relatives and friends in different places after her house was submerged on Friday morning due to the unavailability of food and water drink in the camp.
“I need to relocate from this area too but I have no money to do so,” she told Leadership Weekeend on Friday.
Another flood victims Mallam Bala Sani, said he could not remove anything from his house after the flood struck . When we saw the rising water coming like a strong wave, we all ran away leaving our property. I thank God that I did not lose any of my family members.” ‘We lost many things’
Bah Wakil of Buni Gari, the home town of Yobe state govetnor Hon Mai Mala Buni, who spoke on behalf of the flood victims, said over 500 houses 200 far land were destroyed by floods.
He said the effected areas were includ Bulama Yarima, Bulama Yakubu, Bulama Yaga, Bulama Toshuwa and Bulama Kwado wards. “We lost so many things. We need help and assistance from government and good Samaritans for us to be able to return to normal life. People living in the camp but need assistance to do.
Also, speaking to Leadership Weekend, the village head of Ligdir in Buni Gari of Gujba Local Government Area of Yobe State Lawan Dallatu, who confirmed that about 318 houses, farmland, food iterms and markets were destroyed by floods.
He added that, “ Let me tell you that, in my village for now there’s nobody in the village, everybody relocate to friends, well-wish, relate and neighbourhood parts of the local government and otheres were relocate to Damaturu, the state capital.
A Credible Source from government officials disclosed that, its absolutely important that we take weather predictions seriously and be weather-wise to take precausionary measures against the current waves of floods even as the State Emergency Management Agency restrategizes for disaster management to save life and property
SEMA has taken measures for effective emergency system, preparedness, response and recovery statewide but the current floods is now becoming enormous and a disaster of sort which prompted the SEMA to restrategize for rapid response, recovery and provisions of relief materials to victims to cushion hardships.
But as citizens, we need to take precausionary measures to save life and property especially those living near flood plains and buildings on waterways are advised to prepare for the likely impact of this year’s weather pattern.
According to NIMET predictions, there would be more floods in Nigeria and people residents in flood plains should evacuate ahead of such disaster occurences.
The general scenario now is that we are going to see more of this flood because the recent analysis they run on the SPI which gives condition in the country that is high soil moisture with a little amount of rains. We could have a lot of floods as we have seen. God forbid.
We are seeing a global concern, especially with regard to climate change and we are having localized factors. So, more floods come in, and its important especially in the local government level, to be able to advise people living in floodplain and flood-prone areas to be able to evacuate.
YOSEMA has an excellent relationship with the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and which consumes its forecast and also relays the information. So this is the most active period between July to September.
The Executive Secratary, Dr Mohammed Goje has called on all stakeholders to ensure compliance for the safety of lives and property resulting from the flood as an investment in early warning signals has provided the possible outcome of weather activities nationwide.
