…kills father, daughter, washes away farmlands, livestock
Since the rains become heavier by the day lately, the proverbial showers of blessing have become a source of curse, anguish, death and sorrow for some residents in some other parts of the country.
The fear of the unknown during this wet season gives many Nigerians in flood-prone areas sleepless nights and practically keep their eyes wide open at night, while others living in better terrain deeply snore away.
The former situation is exactly the case in Etsako Central Local government Area of Edo State, where over 1000 houses have been submerged by flood, which has ravaged through no fewer than seven communities.
The flood, which was a result of an upsurge from the River Niger, destroyed property and houses in Udaba, Ofukpo, Agbaburu, Osomegbe, Ukpeko, Ugochi and Anegbette communities, washing away all their belongings, including farms.
Even the dead were not spared! As the high current of the ravaging flood pulled down, fell and uprooted everything on its way, it also exhumed the remains of dead persons that had been buried in cemeteries in the area for so many years. A father and her child were also swept away to their untimely death by the flood! During the recent assessment visit by a member of the Edo State House of Assembly representing the area, Hon Lawani Damian, it was observed that three newly buried bodies in the community’s cemetery were exhumed by the flood, which also swept away live stocks such as goats, sheep, chickens and pigs. They all perished in the flood!
A little girl, identified as Aminatu, and her Father, Daudu, lost their lives, too, in the ravaging flood.
The affected communities have, however, accused the government of neglecting them since the first disaster in 2012, wondering why it could not provide access roads, which would make it easier for them to access upland communities in the locality in case of such an emergency.
While commenting on the disaster, the village head of Udaba, Chief David Inetape, said over the years government had not been favourably disposed to assisting them.
He wondered why his community should be neglected at a time like this.
Inetape noted that the people could not relocate as a result of lack of road as the earth roads in the communities had become flooded.
He added that they now had to resort to the use of ferry boats and canoes to access their houses.
The situation, however, seemed to have become a norm for the communities as children were seen swimming in the flood while the farmers embarked on premature harvest of their rice, cassava, groundnuts and yam to avoid total loss.
Even the dead were not spared! As the high current of the ravaging flood pulled down, fell and uprooted everything on its way, it also exhumed the remains of dead persons that had been buried in cemeteries in the area for so many years. A father and her child were also swept away to their untimely death by the flood!
One of the farmers, Mr. Nigeria Afomede, said, “If we don’t harvest our crops now, as you can see, they will spoil and we will suffer. So, we have decided to harvest our six-month old cassava. You know we don’t have any farm that is up to a year now, because that of last year also destroyed our farms.”
Speaking on why they refused to relocate to the federal government resettlement camp built by the flood committee during the tenure of the last administration in the state, the residents said they had no access road to Oghomere, as there was no sign before the sudden rise in water level.
It was, however, gathered that in anticipation of the floods, Etsako Central Local Government authorities had cleaned up the Federal Government resettlement camp in Oghomere with the aim of relocating the flood victims from the area.
The Vice Chairman of the local government council, Mr. Ambrose Kelvin Akhigbe, said the council was doing all it could to relocate the victims after the completion of the proper cleaning of the building and fumigation.
According to him, “From Wednesday, we are going to the affected communities with speed boats to evacuate them. If anyone resists leaving the areas, we are going to persuade them to leave so that whatever the government and individual would be bringing, they will benefit from it in the camp.
“As you can see, the borehole is set and the rooms are being cleaned up to ensure that it is conducive. We shall also bring a very big generating set to ensure regular power supply in the camp so that the displaced persons can feel at home.”
Meanwhile, Hon Lawani Damian, member Representing Etsako Central Local Government Area, also visited flood affected areas of Etsako Central, where he advised them to move to higher land to avoid an outbreak of water-borne diseases and other related infections.
He said the flood affected houses, farmlands, churches, mosques and market. He also distributed insecticide treated mosquito nets to those at the temporary camp at the primary school.
The lawmaker called on Federal, state and local governments and well-to-do individuals to assist the various communities to overcome the current acute shortage of food items, as farmlands and livestock had been washed away.
Damian also called on the government to fulfill its promise of dredging and constructing the road linking these communities to ease movement and process of evacuating persons and goods. “
What is important most is the construction of the road,” he added.
The communities affected include Udaba Ekperi, Ofukpo, Osomegbe, Agbabu, Iyelwa, Ifeku inland, Anegbetter, Udochi, ukpeko orile and many others. The disaster has become an annual occurrence since 2012.
Also in Edo Central Senatorial District, no fewer than 42 communities in Esan South East Local Government Area have been submerged by the flood.
Our correspondent gathered that over 8,000 houses and thousands of hectares of farmland were affected by the flood.
The communities, which are mostly on the bank of the River Niger, had their crops, such as rice, washed away by the flood.
The council Chairman, Victor Emuankhagbon, while lamenting the loss, called for urgent assistance for the victims.
He said because of the enormous destruction occasioned by the flood, there was little or nothing the council could do.
While noting that no fewer than 30,000 persons were displaced by the flood, he said a temporary camp was set up to accommodate the victims.
He said, “It is a huge natural disaster, which mainly affects Ifeku Island and Illushi mainland. The destruction is such that I cannot quantify the loss.
“I am appealing to all relevant government agencies, as well as the state and Federal governments, to come to the aid of the victims. The disaster is mind boggling. Homes are submerged, some destroyed, farmlands and crops washed away. People don’t have homes to sleep in, no dry land to even cook their meals.
“We are in the process of evacuating them to safer locations. But the job is obviously beyond us; hence we are calling on both the state and Federal governments to come to our aid without delay.”
The council boss listed some of the affected communities to include: Illushi Oji, Oji Ozigono, Oji Awenje, Ajobe, Ajabutu, Owoli, Iyegbi and Ukpodo.
Emuankhagbon noted that four out of the 10 wards in the council, were affected by the disaster.
