Kebbi seeks aid as flood destroys 321,000 houses

The Kebbi State Government is appealing for support following devastating floods that have destroyed 329,000 houses and washed away 858,000 hectares of farmland in the state. The affected farmlands contained essential crops such as rice, millet, guinea corn, sorghum, and beans.

Kebbi State Commissioner for Information and Culture, Yakubu Birnin Kebbi, provided these statistics at a briefing in Birnin Kebbi on Friday. He said that the scale of the flooding and the resulting damage has overwhelmed the state government, despite its efforts to provide assistance to victims.

“Governor Nasir’s administration has done its best to cater to those affected by the flooding. Wholesome compilation of reports on the level of the disaster in each community in all the local government areas has been made and would be presented to the Federal Agencies concerned this Friday,” he stated.

“We are soliciting help; the situation is dire, and the government needs assistance to effectively resettle those affected. Many of them have lost their means of livelihood; the disaster has forced farmers into penury, and a shortage of food looms on the horizon. Our food security target is in jeopardy unless urgent measures are put in place to remedy the situation.”

Birnin Kebbi noted that while the Kebbi Government will provide improved seeds and other agricultural inputs to farmers to resume cultivation, “more is needed.”

“Preliminary statistics show that seven persons died in Ngaski, eight in Maiyama, five in Kalgo, seven in Jega, and two in Birnin Kebbi as a result of the flooding,” he added.

When asked about the N3 billion grant for flood mitigation from the Federal Government, the commissioner stated he was unaware if the funds had reached the state. “I am also surprised that members from Kebbi State in the National Assembly, including Senators, are yet to visit the areas ravaged by flooding to offer the necessary assistance and sympathy,” he remarked.

He warned that the government would resort to force to evacuate communities that remain resistant to relocating from flood-prone areas to safer locations.