By Amos Aar
FLOOD disaster occasioned by series of torrential rainfall and the reported release of water from the Lagdo Dam in Cameroun have rendered homeless thousands of residents of Makurdi, the Benue State capital, and Agatu LGA of the state.
Most of the affected residents are those living close to the banks of the River Benue.
Some victims who spoke with National Record on Thursday called on the Benue State Government to as a matter of emergency, create Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camps and provide food for them.
The victims of the flood admitted to National Record that state authorities had forewarned them to relocate from flood-prone settlements to safer areas. They however noted that most of them had nowhere to relocate to because according to them, they lacked money to rent new houses.
During National Record’s visit to the flooded settlements in Makurdi, three snakes were killed within 10 minutes in Ambira Quarters behind Coca-Cola depot along Gboko Road.
Mr Edwin Ogwuche whose house and rice farm in Ambira Quarters were submerged by the flood, killed the 3 snakes. Unlike others who had no hope of relocation owing to lack of money, Ogwuche said he has rented a room though in an undeveloped area full of harmful reptiles like snakes and without electricity. He said he has no alternative.
“That place is not safe for me but I don’t have any choice because flood has displaced me from here. I’m appealing to the government to provide camps for us and give us relief materials,” Ogwuche appealed.
Other victims in the area whose rice farms were also submerged include Joy Agwaza, Nguvan Agbeede and Peter Afaakaa while Marvis Orgen and Jessica Uwuave’s yam farms were destroyed by the flood.
On their part, Mr Solomon Gyuse, Nguvan Adangu, elder Samuel Kaave, Mwuese Kpashi Seember Shagba, Jenifer Geri, Joseph Geri Iorhem Mfena, Tov Regina, Happiness Ogwuche, Charles Lucky, Rose Upuu and Richard Shagba said they didn’t have rice farms in Ambira Quarters like others, but the water entered into their rooms and they all packed to another person’s house in a place thought to be an upland but the flood still met them there unfortunately. They were thinking about the next place to relocate as at the time of this reporter’s visit.
Also speaking to National Record, a retired police officer, DSP Godwin Ashiekaa, said it was the second time he had been displaced by flood in Ambira Quarters and that the recurring calamity has made life very difficult for him as a pensioner.
“I was even on an interview in Lokoja. So, I went and left my wife here. We were new here in Ambira in 2012, not even up to four months. Before I would come back from Lokoja, my house was flooded and my friend whom we were fellowshipping together helped to convey my wife and other things to his house. Water is here again this year and I have packed out some things to where I’m speaking with you now but other things are still there,” Ashiekaa said.
Sharen Ahijo of the same location called for the dredging of river Benue to put a permanent end to flooding in Makurdi.
“Right now, we are displaced and we are suffering. So, if government can open a temporary camp for us pending when the flood will be over, it will be helpful for us. If the government also gives us food to be eating in the camp so that we will not die of hunger, we will appreciate,” Ahijo requested.
The flood also affected the poultry farm and the entire compound of Terkimbi Mtseem Tion who called for urgent intervention by the government and humanitarian organisations.
National Record discovered from the visit to the flooded areas that virtually all the houses and farms at Ambira Quarters were submerged in water.
At Judges Quarters, a highbrow residential area off Gboko Road, a flood victim, Theophilus Dodo, was seen busy evacuating his properties from his flooded residence.
The Redeemed Christian Church of God located at Judges Quarters where Governor Samuel Ortom worships is under threat and may be submerged soon if the flooding continues unabated. The water was at the edge of the express road at Terwase Agbadu near Judges quarters.
The situation at Iniongon Community in Wadata, another residential area in Makurdi, is critical as flood water has blocked the major road leading to Benue Lower Basin and displaced almost all residents of the area. People were seen evacuating their belongings in boats.
While Samson Akombo who was seated on the corridor of his house that was inside water said he would relocate later in the day if the water increased, Matthew Anusu had no hope of relocation and called for help. Samson Iorbee was in a similar situation with Mathew Anusu as he was sitting with his belongings on the road without knowing where to go to.
Rice Mill Wadata, as the area is popularly called, may be the worst hit by the flood. The entire Rice Mill and its environs were inside water.
Ms Iember Sachia of Rice Mill who stood inside the water and was washing plates with the flood water which filled her room said they were many in that compound and they had nowhere to go to even if the flood toughened. Ms Sachia said their major challenge was where to sleep because water had filled their rooms.
“In 2012, government made provision for temporary camps at NKST Church Wadata, International Market, Wurukum Primary School and other places in Makurdi metropolis. But there is nothing like that this year. Water has thrown out those people you are seeing and they don’t know where to go to. That’s the major challenge they are facing in this area! Where to relocate to has become a problem. If you pack to your brother’s house and he is living in one room that is choked up, how will that be possible?” Isaac Adegahi, a resident of Rice Mill, lamented
Some angry victims refused to speak with National Record, saying they would not help government to make money on their heads like what allegedly happened in 2012 when relief materials meant for them were diverted by officials for personal use.
The flood situation was the same in all other settlements close to River Benue like Kucha Utebe, Gyado Villa, part of Benue State University Teaching Hospital (BSUTH), Wurukum abattoir, timber and rice markets as well as Angwan Jukun. Houses, hotels, school, churches, markets in those areas were badly affected by the flood. Water was already entering into motor parks like Benue Links Transport Limited and Tipper Park located close to Wurukum Roundabout.
State-owned Radio Benue reported Friday evening that some communities in Agatu LGA of the State were also affected by the flood. The affected communities, according to the report, include Oweto, Otugwolugu, Obishu, Adeka-Olegodege, Oleje, Ebete Olegega, Onogba, Atokpa, Olengeje, Adana, Agbobe, Ocholomnya, Ogumogbo, Akpeko, Ejima-Gega, Inminyi, Olegomakwu, Abugbe and I think by Alokpa among others.
National Record gathered that the flood has destroyed all villages on the banks of River Benue in Agatu, rendering the residents homeless whiles schools, farms, hospitals houses and other valuables worth millions of naira have been destroyed.
National Record further gathered that the Council Chairman of Agatu LGA, Hon. Joseph Ngbede, has requested the state government through BSEMA to provide food and non-food items including beddings and other essential items to cushion the effect.
On the state government’s efforts, Radio Benue also reported Friday evening that the state’s Ministry of Water Resources and Environment had commenced the “desoothing” of the lower arm of Idye basin and other parts of Makurdi” in order to mitigate the impact of perennial flooding in the state capital and to allow free flow of water. The areas said to be undergoing the “desoothing” simultaneously include Barracks Road and some parts of Wurukum.
When contacted to find out the efforts the Benue State Government was making in terms of relief for the victims, the Executive Secretary, Benue State Emergency Management Agency (BSEMA), Dr Emmanuel Shior, replied National Record via WhatsApp that the state government was working round the clock to address the plight of the displaced persons.
“We are working around the flood challenges and making arrangements to respond to the plight of the victims/displaced as soon as possible”, Shior stated in the message.
On their part, the Nigeria Institute of Water Engineers (NIWE), Makurdi branch, under the leadership of Engr Terhemba Agber as Chairman, on Wednesday called on the federal government to honor her agreement with the Camerounian government and construct a “bafa” dam on the upstream of the Benue River Basin to contain the huge volume of water released from Lagdo Dam in Cameron.
