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Flood: Vice President Osinbajo Visits Katsina State, Edo, Yobe Others Cry For Help

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I Apologise For Any Mistake I Have Made In Last Eight Years - Masari

Katsina DownPour (Nigeria News)

Federal Government Promises To Move To Intervene In Flood Ravaged Katsina, Death Toll Increases To 52

Another report reaching Naija News says, more deaths have been recorded in the Jibia, Katsina State flood. The figure is now 52.

The Jibia flood which came as an aftermath of a downpour between Sunday night and Monday in the border town between Nigeria and Niger Republic had destroyed  over 500 houses and rendered many homeless.

Vice President Osinbajo who visited the area yesterday, accompanied by Governor Aminu Masari, Director General National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Mustapha Maihajia and State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) Chairman, Dr. Aminu Waziri said, ’’efforts will be made to ensure that adequate relief materials reach all of the victims, most of who are present camped at the Mohammed Rabiu Model Primary School.

“The President has asked me to assure you that everything will be done to ensure that everybody is taken care of, and that we will make sure this sort of thing does not repeat itself again’’.

“As Nigerians, we all deserve to live our lives happily, we deserve to be treated well, and the president has assured everybody that working with the state government, we will do all that is necessary.

“Where compensation is necessary, we will compensate, where rebuilding is necessary, we will do so,” he added.

The Nation reports that the flood also ravaged Yobe State town Babangida where over 100 houses were destroyed but no life was lost.

Similarly Benin city, the Edo state capital, a school boy was swept away by flood, while Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, was hit by flood leaving many cars swept away. No fewer than 12 people were declared dead during this last weekend.

In Yobe, Chairman of the local government, Mr. Gidado Muhammad, told reporters that the council had temporarily converted a primary school in the town to a camp to provide shelter for displaced people.

No life was lost and no serious casualty recorded but over 100 houses have been destroyed, along with food items and other personal belongings of the residents.

“Staff of the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) are taking every detail, while the council has made provision for immediate shelter and food to the victims” he said.

The chairman said excavation work was on in order to open up more channels for easy passage of rain water in the area to avert future occurrence.

Malam Ali Usman, a resident, said he lost four rooms, food items and clothes to the floods and now taking refuge with a relation.

“I have sent my wife home while I am taking refuge with a relation,pending when government will assist us,” he said.

In Edo State, residents of Uselu community in Egor local government area on Tuesday protested the death of a six-year old pupil during flood after a downpour which lasted many hours.

The protesters blocked the busy Uselu-Lagos road with bonfires while motorists were made to take other routes to Ugbowo and the Kings Square.

Sign boards of the Edo State government in the area were pulled down by the angry protesters.

They said their anger stemmed from the inability of the State Government to send its officials to help find the body of the pupil simply identified as Segun.

Leader of the protesters, Mr. Oni Enoma, said the drainage was a death trap and a nightmare to them whenever it rains.

According to him, “A woman and her baby fell into the gutter. They were dragged out but the baby fell inside.

But we have not been able to find the body of the boy. “We were surprised that nothing has been done by the fire fighters to find the body.

The late Segun and his mother, whose name was given as Latifat, were walking home after school hours when they slipped into an open drainage at the Omosogie junction along the Bénin-Uselu road.

Policemen were on ground to prevent any break down of law and order.

Governor Godwin Obaseki commiserated with the family of the deceased Obaseki described his death as disheartening.

He said: “As a government, we are deeply saddened by the report of the Uselu flood incident and the death of the young male pupil identified as Segun. I share with the parents and other members of his family in their grief,” a visibly shaken Governor Obaseki said at the emergency Executive Council meeting held at the Government House in Benin City on Tuesday.



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