Heavy rains have hit Niger State, leading to devastating floods that have claimed the lives of 11 people and affected 529 communities in 19 local governments. The affected areas include Mokwa, Katcha Lavun, Lapai, Agaie, Shiroro, Munya, Gbako, Kontagora, Bosso, Edati, Agwara Magama, Bida, Mashegu, Borgu Gurara, Suleja and Rijau.
Irreparable loss of lives, massive destruction of farmlands, and potential threat of food crisis looms over the state and the country as a whole. The Director General of the Niger State Emergency Management Agency, Abdullahi Baba Aarah, confirmed the disaster and assured that the local government is taking decisive measures to prevent further disasters.
This year, floods in West Africa have been particularly devastating, with over 460,000 people displaced across the region. In Nigeria, floods in Borno State have claimed the lives of at least 30 people and displaced over 400,000 others.
Abdullahi Baba Aarah said the state government has taken more drastic measures to avert another future disaster.
“We are still expecting more rains and therefore, floods could still be here, that is why we are not complacent.
Unfortunately, 11 people lost their lives in the floods, 5 in Mokwa local government, 2 each in Shiroro and Munya local governments, and 1 each in Katcha and Rijau local governments.
In addition, 246 school facilities were washed away, creating accommodation problems for pupils, students and their teachers. We can also report that as of September this year, 18 bridges and 80 culverts were destroyed by floods, causing communication problems for the people in the affected areas.
With this situation, the state could also face severe food shortages as the floods affected 118,692 hectares of farmland, some of which had crops ready for harvest, while over 1,600 fish ponds were also washed away,” the Director General said.
It would be recalled that the Nigeria Meteorological Agency has placed Niger State among the first federal states that will be affected by floods caused by the heavy rains.
Meanwhile, the state government has approved the immediate purchase of food and other items, while the state Emergency Agency has solicited the intervention of stakeholders, donor institutions and international partners to assist the affected people.
Key statistics:
– Number of people affected: 41,192
– Number of households affected: 6,865
– Communities displaced: 34, now in internally displaced persons camps.