No fewer than 14 persons have died due to flooding in 16 local government areas of Niger State.
The Director Relief, Niger State Emergency Management Agency, Alhaji Garba Salisu, confirmed this to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) yesterday in Minna.
The local government areas affected by the flood, according to him, are: Mokwa, Lapai, Bosso, Suleja, Mariga, Bako, Shiroro, Wushishi, Gurara, Lavun, Agaye,Chachanga, Munya, Magama, Rafi and Gbako.
He said the agency had engaged the services of no fewer than 200 local divers in affected communities for rescue operations.
He said that the local divers would complement the efforts of agency rescue unit whenever the need arose.
Salisu also appealed to residents of the state to desist from building on waterways and to stop indiscriminate dumping of refuse to reduce the effect of flooding in the state.
He also urged communities experiencing gully erosion to relocate whenever the threat of flood became high.
“My major fear is that, most rains are usually at night when the people are sleeping, but the only way is to create environment for smooth flow of water,’’ he said.
The director also called on communities prone to flooding to vacate the area temporarily to avoid disaster.
Salisu further disclosed the state has spent about N 674 million on buying assorted relief materials and cash assistance for those affected by the disaster.
He said N210 million was spent on the procurement of assorted building materials and cash assistance to residents in 16 local government areas affected by the flood.