At least 60 homes and several properties worth millions of naira were destroyed in a separate flood disaster in Nasarawa state, according to Zachary Allumaga, director general of the Nasarawa State Emergency Management Agency (NASEMA).
In an interview with journalists in Lafia, Allumaga claimed that flood incidents in the local governments of Lafia and Toto in the month of August 2023 destroyed other valuables belonging to the affected victims while leaving several homes without a valuable.
The Federal University of Lafia’s off-campus residence halls, where students live, were submerged during the flood incident in Lafia’s local government, and valuables like computers, mattresses, books, food, and other items were destroyed.
Allumaga went on to explain that another flood was reported in the state’s Toto local government area, where about 60 homes were submerged and numerous properties were destroyed.
According to the NASEMA DG, flooding in Toto was caused by gully erosion, where water passed through to destroy property and cause the collapse of several homes. He also stated that plans were well underway to provide relief materials to the affected communities in Toto and Federal University off-campus in Lafia, respectively.
In order to fulfill its mandate of preventing and mitigating disasters through raising awareness, evacuating victims, and providing aid to those affected by disasters, he pledged that the Agency would not waver in its determined efforts.
“The agency had at the start of the rainy season, embarked on sensitizing communities living in high prone areas of River Benue and other flood flash point local government areas to remind the residents of the danger pose by flood.”
He issued a warning to the residents of the state, advising them to strictly abide by flood warnings issued by the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and Nigeria Meteorological Agency (NiMet). This included refraining from building or farming near waterways.
