No fewer than five persons were reportedly killed after the canoe that was conveying them capsized in Jama’are local government area of Bauchi State.
Hon Saleh Muhammed who is the member representing Jama’are in the Bauchi State House of Assembly made this disclosure while speaking to reporters in Bauchi.
He said the victims lost their lives after hours of heavy downpour and windstorms in the area which also left many houses and farmlands destroyed.
The lawmaker decried the devastation caused by floods in his constituency, revealing that no fewer than 500 houses were destroyed and about 1,000 families displaced.
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He said that the displaced families are now taking shelter in schools, government buildings, mosques and neighbouring villages adding that 60,000 hectares of farmlands of various crops valued at several millions of naira were destroyed during the incident.
‘Jama’are town and its surrounding villages had been hit by a very devastating flood that rendered several people homeless. The flood is estimated to have destroyed over 500 houses and displaced about 1,000 families. It also ravaged more than 60,000 hectares of farmlands and destroyed farm produce estimated at several hundreds of millions of naira.
‘It is disheartening to inform you that, hundreds of houses and several hectares of farmlands of the following villages were destroyed by the recent flooding and their residents are currently seeking shelter at public schools, government buildings, mosques and neighbouring villages: Yola, Dakodako, Gongo, Gilar, Sabongari, Jogayel, Jabbori, Bodinga, Guda among others are disconnected from Jama’are town amongst others.
‘These villages have been disconnected from Jama’are town, there is no access road leading to the local government headquarters, and all the culverts have been broken down, eroded and taken away by the flood,’ he said.
Hon Saleh called on the Bauchi State House of Assembly to mandate the executive arm to come to the aid of the victims of the flood that devastated Jama’are and its surroundings.