When flood wreaked havoc in seven Jahun LG communities

This, according to Pyramid Trust findings, might not be unconnected with the nature of the town which happens to be a lowland and surrounded by ponds. These ponds, it was observed, were the major cause of the annual flood in the area. From the west, the town shares border with Akama Pond. To the east […]

This, according to Pyramid Trust findings, might not be unconnected with the nature of the town which happens to be a lowland and surrounded by ponds. These ponds, it was observed, were the major cause of the annual flood in the area.

From the west, the town shares border with Akama Pond. To the east it is Fandai, south, Fagen-Kura and to the north, it is covered by Takacici. It was, however, observed that whenever it rains, communities around these ponds experience sleepless nights because of heavy flooding.

It was further observed that, as a result of persistent flood, the town is currently being threatened by erosion. The eastern part of the town, especially around Fandai areas has been threatened by erosion which has started affecting some houses in the area.

Unguwar-Gangare, Pyramid Trust observed, is another area that is facing the danger of erosion in Jahun Local Government Area. But areas like Alkalawa, Yola and Takacici are being affected by the annual flood.

Despite several complaints to the authorities concerned by the affected communities, our correspondent observed that the menace has remained unaddressed, leaving many of the communities in the area stranded whenever there is heavy downpour.

Similar to last year’s unfortunate development, two weeks ago, hundreds of people in seven different communities within Jahun town were displayed by a serious flood that ravaged the entire Jahun town, destroying structures and properties worth millions of naira.

Pyramid Trust correspondent, who visited the area, gathered that the affected communities included Yola, Takacici, Kabala, Alkalawa, Fandai, Fagen-Kura and Unguwar-Gangare. It was further learnt that over 200 houses were affected by the disaster while occupants of the affected buildings were forced to relocate to houses of relatives and friends.

According to Malam Sabi’u Na-Allah Kofar-Gabas, the people of Jahun Local Government Area are in need of government’s assistance over the menace of flood that is bedeviling the area.  He noted that the culverts constructed together with township roads by the state government sometime in 2005, have centralised the water flow to Akama Pond, leading to serious flood when there is heavy downpour.

“Unless government does something urgent and tangible, the problem of flooding will persist in this town. And the issue, from all indications, is that the state and local governments could not curtail the menace of erosion in Fandai, Fagen-Kura and Gandun-Hakimi. We are therefore appealing to the federal government to, as a matter of urgency, intervene,” lamented Sabi’u. Na-Allah recalled that successive governments of Jigawa State had attempted to address the problem but failed because it was beyond the control of the state government, let alone  the local government authority.

One of the victims, Malam Nasiru Garaba Alkalawa told Pyramid Trust that owing to the destruction caused by the flood, he has relocated his family to Kofar-Gabas.

“I am squatting with my friend at Kofar-Gabas. The flood has destroyed my house and all my belongings, including clothing and food items worth N250,000 were also destroyed by the disaster. So many houses were affected in this area and most of the occupants have relocated to other areas that are not affected by the flood,” narrated Malam Garba.

Alkalawa added, “Our major problem in Jahun is lack of good drainages, which is always resulting in a heavy flood whenever it rains. Although we have complained several times to the local and state authorities, nothing tangible has been done to address the problem.”

A father of 11, Alkalawa, attested that two weeks after the incident, they had not yet received any form of assistance either from the state or the local government, saying they were left alone to struggle for survival. He added that property worth about N3.5 million belonging to various households were destroyed by the flood.

“People like Alhaji Garba Kurmi, Alhaji Baffa Dan-Kwano, Sarkin Bai Murabus, Alhaji Aliyu Habu, Alhaji Bede Mai-Goro, Alhaji Aliyu Jarmai and Alhaji Habu Kwari were among the victims of this year’s disaster in Alkalawa area,” he recalled.  

Another victim of the incident at Unguwar-Gangare, Malam Iliya Ibrahim told Pyramid Trust that three of his rooms, a wall and a toilet completely collapsed. He explained, “the collapse of my structure is not my major problem because my house is close to Fagen-Kura pond which is currently threatening our lives because of erosion that is slowly consuming the area”

Ibrahim added that apart from lodging their complaints with the authorities concerned, communities in the affected areas have been conducting community works at the affected sites since 2004 but with minimal improvement.

“There was a time when our House of Representatives member, Alhaji Mustapha Habibu, paid a sympathy visit to us sometime last year, and donated N1 million to the victims of the unfortunate incident and with that money, we  carried out a lot of work in the most affected areas,” he noted.

Chairman of the Local Government Area Alhaji Idris Iliyasu Dan-Lawan, told our correspondent that the local government had directed its community department to carry out emergency work in the affected areas by sucking the water out.

Alhaji Idris Dan-Lawan added that the local government has also lodged complaints with the state Emergency Relief Agency and the state Ministry of Environment for necessary actions.

The state Deputy Governor, Alhaji Ahmad Mahmod, who visited the affected areas, directed the Ministry of Environment to quickly intervene with a view to addressing the menace of flood in the Local Government Area.

Alhaji Ahmad who sympathised with the affected people, assured them that the state government would do its best to provide a lasting solution to the problem, saying, “Jigawa State Government will forward the issue to the Federal Government for intervention.”