FLOOD DESTROYS MILLIONS OF NAIRA IN PROPERTY IN NIGER STATE

A flood has destroyed properties worth millions of naira and displaced several residents in parts of the General M.I. Wushishi Housing Estate in Niger State.

Several houses were submerged after floodwater swept through the area, forcing residents to evacuate their homes and move their belongings to safer locations.

Residents in the affected community were seen struggling to rescue household items and other valuables from their flooded homes.

One of the victims, Waziri Ahmed, said the flood destroyed almost everything in his house, including foodstuff, important documents, mattresses and livestock.

According to him, the water rose to chest level, forcing residents to move their children to safer locations.

Ahmed appealed to the government to provide urgent assistance to affected families, many of whom he said had lost valuable property and sources of livelihood.

Another victim, Bamidele Ajayi, said floodwater entered her home and swept away her vehicle and several other belongings.

Ajayi said residents had been informed that mining activities had interfered with natural waterways in the area, preventing water from flowing freely and causing it to back up into residential areas.

She urged the government to take immediate action to address the situation and provide relief to families affected by the disaster.

Ajayi also expressed frustration over what she described as repeated promises by authorities to resolve the flooding problem without a lasting solution.

Although no death was reported in the latest incident, residents called for urgent measures to clear blocked waterways, repair damaged drainage systems and regulate activities that may be contributing to flooding.

NSEMA WARNS RESIDENTS TO MOVE TO SAFER AREAS

Following the incident, the Niger State Emergency Management Agency, NSEMA, advised residents living close to waterways, canals and riverbanks to relocate to higher and safer grounds.

The agency’s Director of Relief and Rehabilitation, Yusuf Mohammed, gave the warning while assessing the extent of damage caused by the flood.

Mohammed described the incident as an unexpected occurrence, noting that it happened earlier than the period when the state normally records its most severe flooding.

He said Niger State had received warnings from climate and flood forecasting agencies about the possibility of heavy rainfall and flooding during the year.

According to him, NSEMA had already commenced sensitisation campaigns across vulnerable communities, particularly areas located close to canals and riverbanks, urging residents to remain alert and relocate whenever necessary.

Mohammed explained that the state usually experiences more severe flooding around late September and early October, making the latest incident unusual.

He also dismissed claims that the M.I. Wushishi Housing Estate had never experienced flooding of such magnitude, saying available records indicated that the estate and surrounding communities had suffered significant flooding in previous years.

The NSEMA official identified mining activities both upstream and downstream as some of the factors worsening the situation.

He explained that mining activities upstream had removed topsoil that would ordinarily absorb excess rainwater, increasing the volume and speed of water flowing downstream.

He added that mining activities downstream had contributed to blockages along natural waterways, thereby restricting the free movement of water.

Mohammed also blamed poor maintenance of drainage infrastructure, noting that parts of the canal had collapsed and were no longer functioning effectively.

“What you are seeing in the background now is as a result of the bad flow of water that was blocked along this part by the activities of some of these miners,” he said.

He warned that the existing canal might not be capable of handling the volume of water expected as the rainy season progresses.

Mohammed therefore urged residents in vulnerable areas to relocate to safer locations where possible.

He also raised concerns over alleged town-planning violations, noting that some structures had been built too close to the canal and outside the areas covered by the original government-planned estate.

According to him, many of the structures affected were later developments constructed outside the initially planned sections of the estate.

The NSEMA official further identified a collapsed fence at a bend along the canal as another obstruction that contributed to the flooding.

He appealed to the Niger State Government to provide immediate relief to residents who suffered losses and take lasting measures to address the factors responsible for recurring flooding in the area.