Zaria Flood: Residents seek help, cemetery desecrated

Residents of Chikaji in Sabon-Gari Local Government Area of Kaduna State have appealed for assistance from government and philanthropists over a massive flood.

The flood washed away a cemetery, houses and properties in the area, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.

The flood, which ravaged the area on Monday, followed torrential rainfall that lasted seven hours from 5.00 a.m. to about 1.00 p.m.

Speaking to journalists on Tuesday in Zaria, the Village Head of Chikaji, Auwal Sani-Dambaba, said the flood affected over 200 houses in the area.

He added that the flood washed away parts of the LEA Primary School and desecrated a substantial part of the Ojo Cemetery.

“Currently, the victims have taken shelter in the neighborhood, but no life was lost during the incident. However, many graves were left open,” the village head said.

In a move to address the immediate challenges of the cemetery, the Chief Imam of Chikaji Central Mosque, Suleiman Liman, has summoned an emergency meeting of wealthy individuals in the area.

The chief imam told NAN that the emergency meeting would look into the plight of the flood victims.

Ibrahim Ahmed, one of the victims, who was standing on the rubble of the remains of his two-bedroom flat, said they were grateful to God Almighty that the flooding occurred during the day.

According to him, they were evacuating water in the house when a section of the house collapsed.

“I didn’t remove anything from the house because I was busy protecting my kids from the rubles of the building.”

The victim appealed for support and quick interventions from the government at all levels, wealthy individuals, and other key stakeholders to cushion the effect of the flood.

Gafai Katsina, a community leader, said that most of the victims of the flood were now squatting with some residents who were less affected, adding that some married women had returned to their parents pending the stability of the situation.

He listed the worst-hit areas along the water canal including Yan-awaki (around Randa Kano), Chikaji Down and Shika Dam.

NAN recalls that a press statement from the Office of the Speaker, House of Representatives, on Tuesday bemoaned the flood in Sabon Gari and sought intervention for the victims.

Mr Tajuddeen sympathised with the victims of the flood, lamenting that such an unfortunate incident happened at a time when people were making efforts to make ends meet.

He called for an urgent intervention to provide succour to the victims and urged them to stay calm as the government was taking necessary measures to address their plights.

Specifically, the speaker called on the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) to urgently come to the aid of the victims.

The speaker equally urged residents of the affected areas and adjoining places to take precautionary measures and heed to advice from relevant authorities on flood.

(NAN)