By Ademola Adeleye
The flooding disaster affecting several states in Nigeria has so far claimed 603 lives while displacing more than two million, five hundred Nigerians, the Federal Government has said. According to statistics revealed by the Minister, Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Umar Farouq, houses, farmlands have also been either partially or completely destroyed.
Giving further breakdown, data reveals that 1,302,589 people were displaced; 2,407 people injured; 603 people killed; 121,318 houses partially damaged; 82,053 houses totally damaged; 108,392 farmlands partially damaged and 332,327 farmlands totally damaged.
The minister also applauded the efforts of authorities of the Nigerian Army and Nigerian Air Force for the deployment of the Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) aircraft.
While noting that the Federal Ministry of Water Resources is working earnestly towards the construction of about two dams, she added that the building of these dams is quite expensive and takes a longer period of time, hence can’t be completed within a short period.
She also noted that state governors met with the president who directed that all the ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) should work with sub-national governments with a view to curb the effects of the flood. She said the Federal Executive Council (FEC) has received several memos for the provision of settlement areas for victims of the flood who were displaced across the country.
She said: “Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development is concerned that despite all our efforts of averting the consequence of the 2022 flooding season, unfortunately we have recorded the loss of over 500 lives, partial or total damage of more than 90,000 houses, damage of more than 140,000 hectares of farmland. So many roads and other critical infrastructures were also affected.
