Six members of a family have drowned in Nzam community in Anambra West Local Government Area of Anambra State.
The deceased were getting ready to leave their home for a safer place when the floodwater surged into their house and they all drowned.
A video shared online shows youths in the community bringing out dead bodies and lining them up in an upland area of the town.
The Director General of the Delta State Orientation Bureau, Eugene Azuka Uzum Esq, has reiterated the commitment of the State Government (DTSG) to mitigate the impact of flooding in the state.
Uzum said the state government had immediately swung into action, following the warning alert from the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) and other weather forcast agencies on the flood situation in the country.
Speaking as a guest at the Crown FM 94.7 in Asaba, the state capital, he stated that an all embracing committee, headed by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Chief Patrick Ukah, had been set up to manage the flood situation in the state, adding that the orientation bureau had also embarked on vigorous campaign tours to various flood prone communities in the state to sensitise residents and farmers on what to do immediately to forestall loss of lives and farm produce.
The orientation boss frowned at the attitude of some traditionalists who were unwilling to relocate from their flood prone locations for fear of losing such land, wondering how they could own the land, if eventually, they were vanquished by the flood.
He said adequate arrangements had been put on ground at the set up internally displaced persons (IDPs) camps in the state to ensure the welfare of the displaced persons.
Uzum used the opportunity to appeal to Deltans and residents in the state to always de-silts drains for free flow of water when it rained, adding that it was unpardonable to erect any structure on natural waterways, thereby, causing blockade of flowing water and resulting in flooding.
He said that the devasting impact of the 2022 flooding had so far overshadowed that of the 2012 till date, adding that apart from the nightmare of the yearly opening of the Cameroon Dam, the two available dams, Kanji and Shiroro, in Nigeria had become clearly inadequate.
Uzum maintained that the state government placed high premium on the lives of the people in the state, saying that all hands should be on deck to forestall any death as a result of the flooding, just as he cleared the wrong belief that flooding of some areas was because of the failure of the people to appease the gods as he added that flooding is a natural phenomenon.
Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike has approved the sum of N1 billion for emergency relief measures to support flood victims in Ahoada West and Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Areas (LGAs) of the State.
Governor Wike, who empathised with the flood victims, also set up a task force to coordinate the distribution of relief materials to the affected communities in the State.
Wike said the N1 billion approved is to enable vulnerable families to cope with the devastating flood water which has inundated homes and farmlands, and forced residents of affected communities to relocate to safer places.
The Governor said the Permanent Secretary, Special Services Bureau (SSB) in the Office of the Secretary to the Rivers State Government, Dr. George Nwaeke, will serve as the chairman of the task force, while, Mrs Inime I. Aguma, is the Secretary.
Other members of the Taskforce are the Chairman of Ahoada West LGA, Hon. Hope Ikiriko; Chairman of Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni LGA, Hon. Vincent Job; Hon. Onowu Emeka Anyasodike and the Director of Administration in the Ministry of Special Duties.
All members of the task force are to meet with the Rivers State Governor at the Government House, Port Harcourt on Thursday.
![How worshippers observed Sunday service in a flooded hall in Kogi [Watch]](https://thenewsguru.ng/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/flooded-church-kogi.jpg)
A video of Christian worshippers observing Sunday service in a flooded hall has surfaced on the internet and it has got tongue-wagging.
The suspect to have taken place in Kogi saw worshippers sitting on a canoe and observing the Sunday service from different parts of the hall.
At some points, the worshippers were seen dashing forward inside the waterlogged church hall barefooted to get the anointing oil hall in their hands from the cleric who was robbed in white.
The worshippers were also seen singing and chanting in a language not English.
Some internet observers claim that the language heard is one of the languages spoken in the North Central part of Kogi state.
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Traffic gridlock occasioned by massive flooding at Koton Karfe on the Abuja-Lokoja Highway is thinning out, Acting Corps Marshal, Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) Mr Dauda Biu has said.
FRSC spokesman, Assistant Corps Marshal Bisi Kazeem, quoted Biu as saying on Sunday that the water level had continued to recede at the flooded portions of the road in Koton Karfe, Kogi.
He said in a statement issued in Abuja on Sunday that another broken down truck was towed off the road on Sunday, while traffic had been moving under the guidance and control of FRSC operatives.
The military, FRSC and Civil Defence towed two articulated trucks that combined with the flood to render the road impassable away from the road on Saturday.
The trucks, one with NNPC inscription on it, and another articulated vehicle, broke down almost adjacent each other at Koton-Karfe on Friday resulting in a total blockage of the flooded highway.
Kazeem stated that as at Sunday, trucks are being passed in turns with priority given to 150 trucks heading to Abuja.
“Palliative measures are being taken in conjunction with the National Union of Road Transport Workers to cover deep potholes with stones to enhance freer movement.
“The queue of trucks outbound Abuja which stretched up to Gegu on the highway has reduced to Gapa, close to Koton Karfe,’’ he stated.
Kazeem quoted Biu as still pleading with road users, particularly truck drivers to use alternative routes to further reduce the Koton Karfe-Lokoja gridlock.
Trending online is a video showing how flood has taken over Delta as residents had to use canoe for commuting.
TheNewsGuru.com, (TNG) reports the narrator explained why this year’s rain took this alarming shape because previous governments refused to dredge the River Niger.
Nigeria being the last host of the river which flows across Guinea, Mali and other West African countries as they opened their dams.
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Indications have emerged that the ongoing fuel scarcity being experienced in Abuja, the federal capital territory (FCT), may persist longer than expected.
TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports that the current fuel scarcity in the FCT is caused by flooding at Koton Karfe in Kogi State.
Koton Karfe is a community between the FCT and Lokoja where floods had been wreaking havoc lately. The floods in the area have submerged a greater part of Koton Karfe and Lokoja and have also grounded vehicular movement.
Alternative roads to get to the FCT are damaged and ridden with potholes making it difficult to get to the federal capital, the Association of Distributors and Transporters of Petroleum Products (ADITOP) has disclosed.
The Association described the situation as frustrating, stressing that the solution was to hasten the reconstruction of the damaged Lambata-Lapai-Agaie-Bida Road in Niger which serves as an alternative route.
President of ADITOP, Alhaji Lawan Dan-Zaki, speaking in Abuja on Saturday said the failed roads, which posed difficulties for truck drivers to ply, would have served as alternative routes for use by petroleum products transporters.
“Many of our trucks are loaded with petroleum products but cannot go through the flood area freely, while the empty ones cannot return to load products.
“We have two big rivers in Nigeria – River Niger which links Northwest and Southwest Nigeria and River Benue, which affects Lokoja and Eastern parts of the country.
“The bad roads are a challenge to the Federal Ministry of Works, so we appeal to the Federal Government to hasten work on alternative roads.
“This is imperative because our truck drivers spend 10 days while going through the damaged Lapai-Agai-Bida Road and another 10 days while returning to depots,” he said.
Dan-Zaki also lamented the frustration faced by truck drivers hauling petroleum products across the country.
“Lapai-Agai-Bida Road linking the southern part of the country to take products from Lagos is completely damaged. Lokoja Road which we have been managing to transport products from the eastern parts is submerged by flood.
“It is also difficult to take the eastern road carrying products from Calabar-Oghara-Port Harcourt-Warri because the road is bad and truck drivers spend more than a week in trucks queues,” he said.
Dan-Zaki also said that truck drivers usually avoided Mokwa Road through Kaduna because of insecurity, adding that drivers were being kidnapped on that route.
He urged the Ministry of Works and Housing and the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA) to fix the damaged roads
“We are appealing to the Federal Government to ensure that the ministry and FERMA do the needful to avoid recurrence of fuel scarcity,’’ he stressed.
The ADITOP president said the NNPC Ltd. had discharged its function by importing sufficient petroleum, but damaged and poor road network and flooding had made it difficult for trucks to distribute the products.
Meanwhile, the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority has said measures were being put in place to truck petroleum products via alternative routes to mitigate the fuel scarcity.
Reacting to the development, Mr Moshood Samotu, Controller, Federal Ministry of Works and Housing in Niger, said work was ongoing on the Lambata-Lapai-Agaie-Bida Road.
He said the contractor had been ordered to begin palliative work on soft sections.
He explained that torrential rains had been hindering the movement of articulated vehicles through the soft sections, thereby causing gridlock between Agaie and to Badegi towns.
He said 51 per cent of reconstruction work on the Lambata-Lapai-Agaie-Bida Road had been achieved as of September.
He added that the restriction of articulated vehicles from using Bida–Minna Road by the Niger government diverted all Lagos and Abuja-bound articulated vehicles to the Lambata-Lapai-Bida Road.
Samotu said the high traffic volume hampered smooth operations at the construction site, causing slow progress of work.
“The Lokoja-Abuja Road is under gridlock, a development that diverted vehicles to Lambata-Lapai Road.
“The Lambata-Lapai section has been completed to an appreciable level, but the Bida-Agaie-Lapai section of the road is still under reconstruction,” Samotu said.
The Confluence Hotel in Ganaja, Lokoja used to be my favourite spot whenever I visited Kogi State. Its main attraction to me was sitting down to watch the Rivers Niger and Benue warmly embrace in an eternal wedlock as their waters flow down south to the Niger Delta before emptying themselves into the Atlantic Ocean.
Sitting there, I never forget that one of the tributaries of these great rivers, with their confluence in Ganaja, is the Forcados River on whose banks I was born.
I used to dash from Ganaja to eateries in the city centre; it took only a few minutes by taxi. Then some days ago, the usually friendly skies opened up, drowning several parts of the city. The Ganaja-Lokoja Road became a place only amphibious vehicles dare ply. The roads I used to go through had become extensions of the River Niger. Now, to move on the road required a boat. On Tuesday, October 4, 2022 a boat ferrying people along the road, capsized and two people drowned. Four others drowned in the adjoining area.
All these sounded incredible until more videos emerged showing that in the Korton Karfe area leading to Lokoja, the flood that had submerged the town was so much that it was difficult for motorists to differentiate the road from the River Niger. But Kogi State was in a better state than Yobe State. There, as at October 2, seventy-five fatalities had been recorded and over 31,000 households affected across 255 communities.
Although the floods have swept through 27 of the country’s 36 states, affecting half a million people with over 300 killed, including 20 last week alone, it does not appear government has woken up to the disaster. Rather than a sense of national disaster which requires emergency steps, including mass evacuation of affected or endangered communities, normal activities are going on, with the political rally industry booming.
However, Nigeria is in a far better shape than Pakistan where 75,000 kilometres or about a tenth of the country has been under water. As at September 30, some 767,488 houses had been destroyed and over 1,277,000 damaged, especially in the Sindh, Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, KP, provinces. Tragically, over 1,700 persons have been killed, and at least 12,800 injured. Over 4,000 children are on the casualty list.
In a vastly agricultural state, over 3.5 million acres of croplands were destroyed and at least 1,162,000 livestock perished. This means that the livelihood of many households have been wiped out, with food insecurity staring many in the face. This is in a country that is politically unstable and already under severe strains of hyper-inflation which had seen food prices in unprecedented rise. In the last fortnight, the number of Pakistanis directly affected by the floods was 33 million, including some 800,000 Afghan refugees. As the flood waters recede, they leave behind millions of hungry and destitute people at the mercy of water- borne diseases, and a world diverted by unnecessary wars, especially that in Ukraine which is claiming huge amounts of humanitarian aid. Response to the appeal funds by international agencies may also be affected by the aid to war- torn areas.
However, beyond nature, the greatest challenge to humanity is the politics of floods. Hurricane Ian tore through Western Cuba on September 25, destroying electricity facilities, flattening homes, devastating farms and making the economic situation accentuated by six decades of economic blockade and COVID-19 worse. Michael Doering, the Latin America Liaison at World Help who visited Cuba, said entire villages along with crops had been wiped out. In many cases, the Cubans have to start from ground zero.
Just as is the case with the US which is also partly devastated by Hurricane Ian, people across the world want to come to the aid of the Cuban citizenry, but the US would not, even for a second, waive the punishing sanctions which make it difficult to send aid, including food, medicines and financial contributions, to the Cuban people.
Also, some donors are afraid that the US would sanction them if they send aid. This dilemma is put in better perspective by Manolo De Los Santos, the Co-Executive Director of the New York City-based People’s Forum: “The centre is definitely taking donations, but they have a major challenge, which is, the bank they use, for example, in Cuba, is sanctioned by the U.S. government. We’re scratching our heads trying to figure out how to get resources directly to them.”
Although the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control says it could allow disaster relief materials to be sent to Cuba, such donors would require licenses. In the face of this, it is unlikely that charity organisations and aid agencies would want to be seen assisting a country the US regards as an enemy and a danger to its security. When the COVID-19 pandemic ravaged the world, sending many to early graves, Asia’s richest man, Jack Ma, decided in March, 2020, to send massive aid to virtually all countries, including the US. In the Latin American and Caribbean Region, 24 countries, including Cuba, were picked to receive the aid. Specifically, the Jack Ma Foundation decided to send to Cuba 100,000 facemasks, 10 COVID-19 diagnostic kits, ventilators and gloves. But Cuba never got the aid as the Avianca Airlines, the cargo company distributing the aid, declined to deliver to Cuba because it is owned by a US-based company subject to the American trade embargo on Cuba.
Since refusing aid to a people in need is morally indefensible, the Trump administration had claimed that the Cuban government will benefit from such sanction relief. About two months after this, Venezuela which was also in dire need as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, dispersed a Special Envoy, Alex Saab, to buy food and medicines from Iran. On June 13, 2020, he made a stopover in the West African country of Cape Verde to refuel. There, the US coerced the government to seize the ambassador for allegedly violating American sanctions against trade with Iran.
When the Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS, Court ruled that Ambassador Saab’s detention is illegal, the extradition process requested by the American government be terminated immediately and that Cape Verde should pay him $200,000 compensation, America pressured poor Cape Verde to disobey the court. It rather, extradited Ambassador Saab to the US where he still sits in jail.
Floods anywhere is a challenge to humanity everywhere; therefore, the US should without any exception, allow humanitarian assistance to be given to all humans who need them irrespective of ideology, religion, creed or race. Basically, all human beings are the same with equal rights, and should be treated as such.
Flood has overtaken major roads in Ajaokuta, Lokoja and Koton Karfe Local Government Areas of Kogi State, which made it impossible for travellers to pass through Lokoja to Abuja or Abuja to Lokoja thereby creating untold hardship.
While the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) has released boats to help provide services for stranded travellers, travellers who are keen on travelling have been advised to take alternate routes as the water level is expected to take another two or more days to subside.
Alternative routes for the Lokoja-Abuja Expressway are the Suleja-Bida-Mokwa road for travellers going to the South-West region of the country and the Nasarawa-Oweto Bridge-Adoka-Otupka axis for those travelling to the South-South/South-East regions.
Meanwhile, NIWA says it has released boats to provide ferry services for stranded travellers in Ganaja Village, Lokoja and Koton Karfe area of Kogi.
NIWA Managing Director George Moghalu said that the measure was aimed at easing the sufferings of travellers from outside and within the state caused by the flooding.
Mr Jibril Dardau, the NIWA General Manager, Corporate Affairs, announced this in a statement issued in Lokoja on Thursday in Lokoja.
The general manager said that the directive became imperative in view of the fact that the current flooding surpassed that of 2012, causing havoc in several communities in Kogi.
“With the NIWA gauge readers in Lokoja, the 2022 flood level is reading 13. 22 metres as against 12. 84 metres flood reading level of 2012.
“This clearly shows that this year’s flood level surpasses that of 2012 flood level which makes it dangerous and frightening.
“It’s unfortunate that the flood has overtaken some major roads in Ajaokuta, Lokoja and Koton Karfe Local Government Areas of Kogi, thereby impeding normal and easy movements by motorists and commuters.
“The flood has made the highways impassable for travelers from or through Lokoja to Abuja thereby creating gridlocks and serious hardship on Nigerians,” he said.
According to him, NIWA in conjunction with the Boat Owners Association, has been providing succour to the victims in compliance with the safety guidelines of wearing life jackets, avoiding overloading, over speeding and night sailing.
He, however, appealed to travelers and boat operators to keep to the safety rules and regulations to avoid any eventuality.
Meanwhile, the indigenes of Ibaji Local Government Area (LGA) of Kogi, under the aegis of Ibaji Unity Forum (IUF) have appealed to the Federal and State Governments for urgent intervention to ameliorate the suffering of the flood victims in the area.
The President of IUF, Mr Stephen Uchola, made the appeal after he led officials of the organisation to visit some affected communities in Ibaji on Tuesday.
Uchola urged the Federal and Kogi Governments to urgently take necessary steps to rescue thousands of people trapped in different communities in the area due to the ravaging flood disaster.
He claimed that since the outbreak of the devastating flood that submerged the entire local government and rendered the residents homeless, there had not been any assistance from the government and its agencies for the victims.
Uchola said that many of the victims were in danger of losing their lives as they were sick without drugs, food and shelter.
He added that many had remained trapped in their communities as all the roads in the local government had been taken over by the flooding.
“What we saw at the various places we visited necessitated this urgent call on the various arms of government, non-governmental organisations, philanthropists and donor agencies to come to the aid of the victims.
”They have lost everything to the flood and are battling to survive the disaster.
“We visited some communities on Monday and Tuesday and will continue on Wednesday to cover the entire 10 wards in Ibaji LGA.
“The 10 wards – Onyedega, Iyano, Ujeh, Ayah, Ojila, Odeke, Akpanyo, Unale, Ejule and Analo have been devastated by flood.
”Dangerous reptiles have taken over the flooded houses and six deaths have been reported so far,” he said.
The IUF president noted that in Aniocha in Ojila Ward, a 3-year-old child fell into the river and died, adding that the casualty figure was low because many of the people could swim.
He said that thousands of people in the area, including children, are sick, stranded and eager to leave the area but could not because the volunteers using wooden boats to evacuate them could not do much.
”Having lost their source of livelihood, they are now helpless and praying for relief assistance, especially food, drugs, clothing and shelter.
”If these are not provided urgently, from what we experienced, many will not survive this harsh condition.
“Unfortunately, those already evacuated to Idah town and some neighbouring states are also suffering and are finding it difficult to cope, with some of them wearing one dress since they were rescued.
”Many of them have no place to sleep; their condition is very pathetic and they are crying for help,” Uchola said.
He called on the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and Kogi State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), to urgently intervene and evacuate the victims to safe places and provide much-needed support to the local government.
“We are sending this Save-Our-Soul message to President Muhammadu Buhari and Gov. Yahaya Bello as well as NEMA to come to the rescue of our people.
”These people cannot help themselves under the present circumstances and their survival now depends on support from the government and donors,” he said.
Uchola further appealed to members of the public and kind-hearted individuals to come to the aid of the victims by providing cash donations, relief materials and foodstuffs.
The FCT Minister of State, Dr Ramatu Aliyu, has appealed to the Federal Government to aid the Kogi State Government with relief materials for communities devastated by flooding in some parts of the state.
Mr Austine Elemue, Special Assistant on Media to the minister in a statement, on Thursday in Abuja, said Aliyu made the appeal at the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting.
The minister expressed fear of a possible outbreak of communicable diseases if urgent steps were not taken to ameliorate the suffering of the people.
Elemue quoted Aliyu as highlighting the importance of the Lokoja and Abuja expressway as a major link between the North and Southern parts of the country.
She expressed concern that significant man hours were being wasted on the road due to the gridlock caused by the flood.
The minister said: “Access to shops and hospitals are now by canoes and ferry boats. Houses were submerged to the roof-top, while smaller buildings were completely submerged.
“We fear an outbreak of diseases. We need medical attention. Some have no food or clean drinking water.
“As it is, from the Koton Karfe area before the bridge, commuters spend more than 11 hours on that stretch with no food and water.”
Aliyu, while commending the state government’s decision of evacuating persons living along the low plains, called for urgent federal intervention before the flood got to the upper land as it was already threatening to do.
She said: “In some areas that are very deep, they had to evacuate them to the upper land, but even at that, it keeps coming. As of yesterday, the level had increased.
“Your Excellency, may I use this opportunity to draw your attention and the attention of the Federal Government to seek support for the people of Kogi State and Kogi State itself,” she appealed.’’
Aliyu, who also drew FEC’s attention to the danger the road posed to commuters, however, said that several trucks could have plunged into the river, but for the insight and expertise of the drivers.
“Your Excellency, this is one of the gateway cities and the major road that links the north and south. This portends danger especially for passersby who may not be conversant with the area, like the luxurious bus operators.
“This is because the bridge has been submerged in the last three to four days and that in itself is scary.
“This is the reason I call your attention and the attention of the FEC.
“As I also seek the support of my sister, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, who has always been there for areas in dire need, to also look into this for quick intervention.
“Your Excellency, this, I wish to bring to your attention, that it is a looming danger, from disease outbreak to death, as we have already recorded four casualties”.
The Lagos State Government has advised residents of the State, especially those residing on the banks of the Ogun River to be ready to protect themselves because of the high intensity of flooding occasioned by heavy rainfall and the release of water.
A statement signed by the State Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tunji Bello, said October is the peak period that may bring about flooding of the areas that are contiguous to the Ogun River.
He stressed that going by the projection of the Seasonal Rainfall Pattern released early in the year by the Nigerian Metrological Services (NIMET), the peak of the resurgent rainfall for the year will be in October.
Tunji Bello said the situation may also be worsened by the release of water from Oyan Dam by the Ogun Oshun River Basin Development Authority, which will further increase the level of water in the Lagoon.
He added that all identified areas like Ketu, Alapere, Agric, Owode onirin, Ajegunle, Alagbole, Kara, Isheri Olowora, Araromi Otun Orisha community, Agiliti, Maidan, Mile 12, Odo Ogun, Owode Elede, Agboyi I, Agboyi II, Agboyi III must be on the alert and be prepared to relocate upland at a moment’s notice.
He explained that Lagos State is also working in concert with the Ogun Oshun River Basin Development Authority to ensure that water released from the dam has a minimal negative impact on the residents.
Bello stated that in light of these, the Ogun Osun River Basin Authority gave the information that it has so far released approximately 670.7 million cubic meters (mcm) volume of water from January 2022 to date.
He added that the water release projection from the Ogun Oshun River Basin, relying on the early year projection of NIMET and Nigerian Hydrological Services (NIHSA), intends to maximise the created space in the reservoir and released at a controlled and average rate of 5-6 million cubic meter per day to allow other major and uncontrolled tributaries to River Ogun to discharge into the sea.
For the months of November and December, he said, the Ogun Oshun River Basin Authority will release water from the Dam, gradually at an average rate of 2-4 million cubic meters per day before the closure of the radial gates for the Year 2022.
The Commissioner, however, noted that the advice is being given to avoid human casualties that may accompany heavy flooding that is projected around the Ogun River area around this time.