From Samson Alfa, Abuja
The grief following a devastating floods which occurred last Thursday in Tiffin Maza and Anguwan Hausawa communities, Mokwa Local Government Area, Niger State was reinforced yesterday as the state government announced the recovery of two more bodies, bringing the number fatalities to 153.
A statement by the Secretary to the Government of Niger State, SSG, Abubakar Usman in Minna, the government said, “This unfortunate disaster has affected numerous homes and individuals, and the government remains steadfast in its commitment to supporting affected families and communities”.
In this vein, “The Niger State Emergency Management Agency, NSEMA, in collaboration with local authorities and volunteers, continued to work round the clock to provide relief materials to the affected communities “.
Besides, “We urge members of the public to remain calm and sensitive in their communications, particularly on social media and traditional means of communications.
“This is a time of mourning and collective grief for us as a state and spreading unverified or sensational information will only add to the sorrow and confusion already being experienced”, the government said.
Meanwhile, authorities have pegged the number of displaced persons at 3,018 persons displaced, over 100 missing and 50 houses destroyed or submerged.
The flood also washed away two roads as well as two bridges.
“May the souls of those who died rest in peace and may the bereaved families have the fortitude to bear their loss”, Niger State Government said while giving an update on the unfortunate tragedy.
The government then called for cooperation with relevant authorities in the ongoing response efforts.
In a show of goodwill, the Chairman, Senate Committee on Finance, Senator Sani Musa (APC, Niger East), at the weekend donated the sum of N50 million, trucks loaded with essential food items including rice, millet, and maize to assist victims of the recent devastating flood.
Musa, in a statement he signed and issued at the weekend expressed his deep condolences and solidarity with the Niger State Government and people of the affected communities.
Also, the Director-General of National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, Mrs. Zubaida Umar, has siad that officials of the agency are on ground coordinating the response efforts.
She explained that many families have been severely impacted, with some losing multiple members.
Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Idris, said President Ahmed Bola Tinubu had been fully briefed on the disaster and was deeply concerned about the loss of lives.
Idris, said Tinubu had directed that all available resources of the Federal Government be deployed to address the situation and that efforts were being made to avert or mitigate the recurring flood disasters in the country.
Furthermore, the National Orientation Agency has been directed to carry out sensitisation campaigns to ensure that people avoid living around river banks, he said.
He commended the State and other relevant agencies that are assisting in the search operations, saying, “the Federal Government is collaborating to ensure a seamless operation”.
“The immediate priority of the Federal Government is to save lives and provide urgent relief to survivors through NEMA which is ongoing”, he stated.
Minister for Humanitarian Affairs, Prof. Nentawe Goshwe Yilwatdo, who is also part of the delegation, pledged to review the situation on the needed areas of support to the IDPs and migrants in order to meet their needs.
Niger State Deputy Governor, Comrade Yakubu Garba, in a response on behalf of Governor Mohammed Umar Bago, said that efforts were being intensified to ensure the construction of stem water drainage in Mokwa and Mashegu council areas and pleaded with the federal government for intervention in the areas of temporary camp and taking assessments of the communities in order to proffer solutions to the menace.
However, the state government had approved distribution 6,000 bags of rice and other essential materials with a view to cushioning the effects of the disaster on the victims.
AljazirahNigeria gathered that many corpses still trapped under collapsed buildings and especially a large number of almajiri ,Quranic school pupils, unaccounted for.
