Windstorm Kills 3-year-old, Destroys 1,000 Houses In Niger

Director-General of the Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA) Abdullahi Baba Arah has confirmed that 1,000 houses were destroyed and a three-year -old baby killed  in a windstorm that ravaged communities, especially in Niger South.

He said  the agency had begun rapid assessment  of the affected communities across Mokwa, Bida, and other local government areas of Niger State.

Arah said,  “Preliminary reports indicate that over  1,000 houses were destroyed/severely damaged in Mokwa local government area, which include Sawmill, Kpege Wayata, Kpege, Station Girigi, Efu Shaba Lile, Tifin Madza, Yafu, Etisheshi, Hakimi Aliyu and Nasfat areas.

In Bida “local government ares, the affected wards include Cheniyan, Nasarafu, Bariki, Kyari, Dokoza, Masaga A and Masaga B.

“In addition, windstorm incidents were also recorded in Lavun, Katcha, Gbako and Mariga local government areas, where over 100 houses were earlier reported destroyed in Durgu community under Bobi Ward of Mariga LGA,” the DG said.

He said NSEMA, in collaboration with the relevant stakeholders and local government authorities, is  conducting detailed assessments to determine the extent of damage and humanitarian needs of the affected victims.

Meanwhile a three year old baby girl was killed during the windstorm in Mokwa as the building destroyed by the windstorm fell on the little girl who was sleeping with her mother and five other siblings.

The Director General said that the three year old girl was the only fatality recorded during the windstorm , however the mother of the baby girl and siblings sustained injury and were taken for medical attention.