Flood-ravaged communities in Taraba State’s Lau and Karim-Lamido local government councils have requested assistance from the state government.
Following recent heavy rains and the alleged overflow of the Lagdo dam in neighbouring Cameroon via the River Benue, flooding has affected several communities across the two councils.
Nibolo, Madaka, Kiffi, Madaka, Yama, Bandawa, Sanga, Usmanu, Jen, Gorowa, Didango, Komodoro, Pai, Belango, Nahuta, Shemel, Bonada, Ziddi, Jabjab, Didango, and Gorowa are among the communities.
Abdullahi Mohammed Chiroma, Chief of Old Muri in Karim-Lamido council, stated that the flood has devastated the entire communities and that the victims are in desperate need of assistance.
The monarch, who preceded to describe the situation “as a national threat to economic activities” believed that if no urgent measures were put in place to reach out to the victims, the dreams of ensuring abundant food come next year, would turn out to be a mirage.
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Taking his time to enumerate the series of crops washed away by the flood including maize, guinea-corn, cassava, rice, and soybean, among others, the situation, according to him, will no doubt negatively affect the economy of the state and the country at large.
He said shelter, food as well as other materials are needed to reduce the effect of the disaster on residents.
The district head of Karim in Karim Lamido, Kuh Roman Ntiri, also urged the government to come to their aid.
Government interventions, he said, have become critical owing to the havoc wreaked on the communities by the flood, which in his word, has led to massive displacement of persons, the majority of whom are women and children.
Also, on his part, the Village head of Lau in Lau council, Aliyu Baba Musa, said farmers “will take the phenomenon as divine trial because the worst has been done.”
He was, however, observed to have leaned his weight to that of his counterparts by soliciting assistance from the relevant authorities to enable the victims and the communities to regain all that they have lost.
Visibly dejected, some of the victims who spoke with our correspondent said they had not only lost their houses but have as well lost all their farm products to the flood.
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Some of them, who claimed to have obtained loans from banks to venture into farming, expressed sadness at how the flood had pushed them into debt.
They also urged the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), and the Ministry for Humanitarian Affairs to come to their aid.
