Residents of Chikaji in Sabon-Gari Local Government Area of Kaduna State have appealed for assistance from government and philanthropists, following a heavy downpour that washed away cemetery, houses and properties.
The News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, reports that the flood which ravaged the area on Monday was as a result of torrential rainfall that lasted seven hours from 5am to 1pm.
Speaking to newsmen on Tuesday in Zaria, the Village Head of Chikaji, Alhaji Auwal Sani-Dambaba said the flood affected over 200 houses.
He added that the flood washed away parts of LEA Primary School and desecrated substantial part of Ojo Cemetery.
“Currently, the victims are taking shelter in the neighborhood, but there was no loss of life during the incident. However, many graves were left opened,” the village head confirmed.
While lamenting the tragic incident, the village head said hours after the flood, there was no support nor assistance from government at the national or sub-national levels.
In a move to address the destruction of the cemetery, the Chief Imam of Chikaji Central Mosque, Malam Suleiman Liman, said the community had summoned an emergency meeting of wealthy individuals in the area.
The chief Imam added that the emergency meeting would also look into the plight of the victims.
One of the victims who stood on the rubbles of his two-bedroom flat, Malam Ibrahim Ahmed said they are grateful to God Almighty that the flood occurred during the day.
According to him, they were evacuating water from the house when a section of the house collapsed, adding that, “I did not remove anything from the house, because I was busy protecting my kids from the rubbles of the building.”
The victim appealed for support and quick intervention from government at all levels, wealthy individuals and other key stakeholders to cushion the effect of the flood.
A community leader in the area, Alhaji Gafai Katsina, said most of the victims are now squatting with some residents who were less affected, adding that some married women had returned to their parents pending the stability of the situation.
He listed the worst hit areas along the water canal to include Yan-awaki (around Randa Kano) to Chikaji down to Shika Dam.
NAN recalls that a press statement from the Office of the Speaker, House of Representatives on Tuesday bemoaned the flood in Sabon Gari and sought intervention for the victims.
Speaker Tajuddeen Abass sympathised with the victims of the flood, lamenting that the unfortunate incident happened at a time when people are making efforts to make ends meet.
He called for urgent intervention to provide succour to the victims and urged them to stay calm, as government is taking the necessary measures to address their plight.
Specifically, the speaker called on the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, and the State Emergency Management Agency, SEMA, to urgently come to the aid of the victims.
Abass equally urged residents of the affected areas and adjoining places to take precautionary measures and heed the advisory from relevant authorities on flood. NAN
