Zaria residents seek help after flood desecrate cemetery

Residents of Chikaji in Sabon-Gari Local Government, Kaduna State, has appealed for assistance from government and philanthropists over flood that washed away cemetery, houses and properties in the area.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the flood which ravaged the area on Monday was as a result of torrential rainfall that lasted seven hours from 5.00a.m. to 1.00p.m.

Speaking to newsmen on Tuesday in Zaria, the Village Head of Chikaji, Alhaji Auwal Sani-Dambaba said the flood affected over 200 houses in the area.

He added that the flood washed away parts of the LEA Primary School and desecrated substantial part of the Ojo Cemetery.

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“Currently, the victims took shelter in the neighborhood but no loss of life during the incident. However, many graves were left opened,” the village head confirmed.

While lamenting over the tragic incident, the village head said a day and hours after the flood, there was neither support nor assistance from government at national or sub-national levels.

In a move to address the immediate challenges of the cemetery, the Chief Imam of Chikaji Central Mosque, Malam Suleiman Liman, said the community had summoned an emergency meeting of wealthy individuals in the area.

The chief Imam added that the emergency meeting would also look into the plights of the flood victims.

Malam Ibrahim Ahmed, One of the victims who was standing on the rubles of the remains of his 2-bedroom flat said they were grateful to God Almighty that the flooding occurred during the day time.

According to him, they were evacuating water in the house when a section of the house collapsed, adding, “I didn’t remove anything from the house, because I was busy protecting my kids from the rubles of the building.”

The victim appealed for support and quick interventions from government at all levels, wealthy individuals and other key stakeholders to cushion the effect of the flood.

Alhaji Gafai Katsina, a community leader in the area said most of the victims of the flood were now squatting with some residents who were less affected, adding that some married women had returned to their parents pending the stability of the situation.

He listed the worst hit areas along the water canal to include Yan-awaki (around Randa Kano) to Chikaji down to Shika Dam.

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NAN recalls that a press statement from the Office of the Speaker, House of Representatives on Tuesday bemoaned the flood in Sabon Gari and sought intervention for the victims.

Tajuddeen sympathized with the victims of the flood, lamenting that such an unfortunate incident happened at a time when people were making efforts to make ends meet.

He called for an urgent intervention to provide succor to the victims and urged them to stay calm as government was taking necessary measures to address their plights.

Specifically, the Speaker called on the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) to urgently come to the aid of the victims at this critical time.

The speaker equally urged residents of the affected areas and adjoining places to take precautionary measures and heed to advisory from relevant authorities on flood.