Flood kills 14 persons, affects 17 councils in Niger, NISEMA reveals

No fewer than 14 persons have been killed in flood disasters that ravaged 17 of the 25 local councils of Niger State during this year’s rainy season.

Director General of the Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NISEMA), Ibrahim Inga, made this known yesterday when the state Media Strategy and Communication Committee visited him in Minna.

Inga disclosed that the agency has spent N763 million on emergency responses, risk reduction and preparedness in the last three years and had identified 11 resettlement centres in 65 communities across the state.

“Niger state is ranked second frontline flood state in the country and already, flood has affected 17 local councils this year with 14 lives lost so far,” he said.

He added that rapid assessment was ongoing, pointing out that the victims were from Shiroro, Lavun, Lapai and Edati local councils.

Other affected local councils are, Gbako, Munya, Agaie, Rafi, Bida, Bosso, Chanchaga, Wushushi, Gurara, Mariga, Magama, Mokwa and Borgu.

Inga, however, lamented that rice farm that was almost due for harvest at Gima in Lavun Local Council provided for the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN)’s Anchor Borrowers Programme, was submerged in the flood.

He said the agency has intervened by providing cash and relief materials to victims of the flood disaster in the state.

He added that 80 per cent of the flood received attention after an assessment, noting that N364 million was voted for victims of market fire and tanker explosions from May 2015 to date, while N210 million was spent for the procurement of relief materials for flood victims.