By Correspondent in Minna.
The much expected rainfall, signalling the beginning of a new farming season turned out to be a bad omen for some communities in Niger state, as over 200 houses have been destroyed by rainstorm on Friday night.
Our Correspondent reports that the rain,which lasted for close to an hour, came with heavy and dusty windstorm and thunder, pulled down some electric poles, destroyed some electrical appliances, uprooted some trees and left some families homeless as their homes were flooded.
Our Correspondent who visited Minna, the state capital, further reports that some residents were forced to relocate to safer places when the heavy downpour blew off their roof tops, some forced to stay with relatives as drainage linking their area over-flowed its banks, causing collapse of some houses.
Also in Kuta, the headquarters of Shiroro Local Government alone, The Reporters gathered that; 38 houses collapsed and owners of 104 shops affected by the rainstorm counting their loses during the first rainfall in the year, 2022 in the area.
Comrade Salisu Sabo, the spokesperson, Coalition of Shiroro Associations (COSA), in a statement he made available to journalists on Saturday said about 198 houses were affected in Kuta, the headquarters of Shiroro Local Government Are alone.
“We went round the town, after the rain, to assess the situation. We counted no fewer than 198 that were affected, 104 shops, 38 collapsed houses, 4 schools and 2 Masjids (mosques) were among the facilities badly affected by the first rainfall this year in the area”.
Also affected, according to him include; Shiroro Local Government Education Authority building, the only Veterinary Hospital in the locality and the General Hospital which has substantial part of its roof blown off.
The online publication reports that Shiroro is one of the local government areas badly affected by the activities of armed bandits, hence the people are pleading for urgent assistance, adding that the windstorm had exposed many households managing to survive the series of attacks.
Other villages where the rainfall created havoc according to COSA include; Gwada, Zumba, Erena and adjourning communities and therefore pleading for urgent assistance from the government, well spirited individuals and as well corporate organisations.
“We are sending a save-our-soul message to the state government, through the Niger State Emergency Management Agency, office of the Minister for Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management and as well, other relevant agencies to come to our rescue”,he pleaded.
Edited by Dada Ahmed.
