Deborah Hundenu
The devastating flood sweeping across Kebbi State has claimed 29 lives and wreaked havoc on thousands of households and farmlands.
PLATFORM TIMES reports that the . state, known for its key agricultural contributions, is now grappling with the destruction of crops like rice, maize, and guinea corn, heightening fears of food shortages.
According to the state government, the floodwaters have ravaged 16 out of Kebbi’s 21 local government areas, destroying over 321,000 houses and submerging 858,000 farmlands.
Addressing journalists in Birnin Kebbi on Friday, the Commissioner for Information, Yakubu Ahmed, raised alarm over the scale of devastation.
“If help did not come to the affected areas where rice, maize, guinea corn, and other crops were destroyed by the flood, there might be a shortage of food in the state and Nigeria at large,” Ahmed warned.
He further explained that the flooding was exacerbated by water from the Goronyo Dam, combined with the convergence of River Rima and River Kaa through River Niger.
Despite proactive government measures, the state remained highly vulnerable to the disaster.
The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMET) had earlier predicted Kebbi would be severely affected, compounding the state’s existing woes.
Ahmed confirmed the death toll, with Shanga, Maiyama, Kalgo, Jega, and Birnin Kebbi among the worst-hit areas.
“We have recorded seven deaths in Shanga, eight in Maiyama, five in Kalgo, seven in Jega, and two in Birnin Kebbi so far,” he disclosed, emphasizing that these figures may rise as assessments continue.
The Commissioner appealed to the federal government, corporate bodies, and well-meaning individuals to urgently step in, stating that the extent of the damage was beyond what the state government could manage alone.
With bridges, roads, and thousands of households submerged, the ongoing disaster not only threatens lives and livelihoods but also poses a critical challenge to the country’s food security.
Kebbi State is one of Nigeria’s leading rice-producing regions, and the destruction of farmlands has triggered concerns about the nation’s ability to meet domestic food demands in the coming months.
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