A devastating flood has ravaged Sokoto State, leaving at least 14,940 homes destroyed, according to the state’s Committee on Flood Control.
The committee, led by Chairman Muhammad Bello Idris, submitted its findings to Governor Ahmed Aliyu on Monday.
Idris in the report highlighted that the flood has affected 1,341 villages across 22 local government areas, which have experienced flood disaster in the state this year so far.
Also, he stated that 11,390 farmlands were destroyed, with significant damage to crops, which poses a severe threat to the food security and livelihoods of thousands of residents.
Furthermore, Idris noted that the flood also caused extensive damage to the state’s infrastructure, with reports indicating that about 50 earthworks, 250 stagnant water ponds, 60 kilometres of drainage channels, and over 1,000 erosion sites have been destroyed.
The damages according to the committee have complicated the recovery efforts and may lead to prolonged environmental and economic challenges for the state.
The committee however recommended urgent assistance to the flood victims, including the provision of motorised boats and life jackets to riverine communities to prevent further loss of life.
They also called for a massive construction and desilting of waterways, along with the rehabilitation of critical erosion sites and dams, to mitigate future disasters.
Governor Aliyu expressed gratitude to the committee for their thorough work and assured that the recommendations would be carefully reviewed and implemented to help the affected communities recover and to prevent future occurrences of such disasters.