The prediction of imminent flood by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency, NIMET, in 26 states of the federation this year has begun to manifest as two local government areas in Niger state have been ravaged by flood in the last three days.
The flood has rendered hundreds homeless from their communities.
Report claims the affected local government areas are Gurara and Lapai Local government area.
Lapai LGA is said to be the worse hit as four children were reportedly killed and 23 communities displaced while in Gurara, about 15 communities were sacked by the flood and a bridge linking one of the towns to other parts of the state washed off.
The development followed three-day persistent heavy downpour which caused both the rivers Kaduna and Niger to overflow their banks.
Special Adviser to Governor Abubakar Sani Bello on Niger East Matters, Mr Pius Wakili, who confirmed the Gurara Local government area incident, said schools, residential houses, churches and mosques as well as several hectares of farmlands were either partially or totally destroyed as a result of the flood.
He said, “Not less than 3000 people had been displaced as a result of the incident.”
Governor Abubakar Sani Bello, on a visit to the affected villages in Lapai local government area on Monday, described the incident as ‘disastrous’ and called on the Federal government for assistance in tackling the problem.
“The financial requirement to challenge the problem is not only enormous but beyond the capability of the state.
“However as a government, we sympathized with the communities and we will give our support despite our lean resources to reduce the hardship of our people.
“The State Emergency Management Agency would be mobilized to come to the assistance of the people,” he added.
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