Flood kills 3, displaces hundreds in Niger

Mathew Jwantu, Minna.

Heavy flooding resulting from an early hour downpour, Saturday killed three, displacing hundreds in Bosso and Chanchaga Local Government Areas of Niger State.

The disaster which submerged over twenty houses, destroying shops and farms followed heavy rains which started at about 4am.

Sookesman of the Dutsen Kura Hausa community, Mr. Sanusi Mohammed, a businessman said their means of livelihoods have been taken away by the floods.

A livestock farmer, Mr. Zubairu Abdullahi, said his animals including goats, chicken and fishes were swept away along with his house.

A mother of three, Hadiza Rabiu from Shanu village in Bosso LGA said she lost N40,000 in cash, asides from food stuffs and other belongings in the flood.

“The flood took everything, our house collapsed and everything we have including over forty thousand naira have been washed away,” she said.

The rains that caused the floods were welcomed with joy after days of dryness, Head of Shanu village, Ibrahim Musa told our Correspondent.

He said, “when the rain started in the early hours of Saturday, I was happy and thanking God that it was going to be a rain of blessing because of our farms, not knowing it was going to wreck havoc. We have lost our farm produces and houses. This is tragic to us.”

The floods also destroyed bridges in Bosso and Mola bridge in Dutsen Kura Hausa.

This is the fourth tragic flood in the locality this year, said another community leader, Mr. Inuwa Bawa Tokura.

According to him, “The only solution is the construction of a good drainage system from the Federal University of Technology, FUT, Minna down to Minna-Bida road.”

The Director General, Niger State Emergency Management Agency NSEMA, Ibrahim Inga however blamed the disasters on blockage of waterways by unlicenced residential buildings.

Inga added that over 75 percent of those affected live along river banks.

Meanwhile, the Niger State Acting Governor, Muhammad Ahmed Ketso during a sympathy visit to the affected communities directed the State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA) to immediately provide relief to the IDPs.

He further called on the Federal Government and relevant bodies to assist the state in addressing the annual flood disasters in the State.