Raging flood displaces 1,000 families, destroys 60,000 farmlands, 5000 houses in Bauchi —Lawmaker

Saleh Muhammad, a politician for the Jam’are Constituency in the Bauchi State House of Assembly, has disclosed that the local government area’s torrential floods had resulted in the eviction of over 1,000 households, the damage of 60,000 farmlands, and the demolition of over 5000 homes.

Muhammad, who gave the revelation during a plenary session on Wednesday, also said that five people perished in a boat accident that occurred in the neighbourhood as a result of the flood.

While calling for the state government to come to the aid of the victims, the lawmaker said the displaced families were now taking shelter in schools, government buildings, Mosques, Churches and neighbouring villages, while various crops worth several millions of naira were destroyed.

“Jama’are town and the surrounding villages were devastated by a flood that left many people homeless. Over 5000 homes are thought to have been destroyed by the flood, which also uprooted 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.

“The displaced persons are currently seeking shelter at public schools, government buildings, Mosques, Churches and neighboring villages in Yola, Dakodako, Gongo, Gilar, Sabongari, Jogayel, Jabbori, Bodinga, Guda, among others.

“Jama’are Local Government Area has been experiencing annual flooding during the rainy season; the town is vulnerable due to the presence of a river in the area,” he added.