Sani Haruna
The Kebbi State Government has appealed to the Federal Government to urgently intervene in repairing roads and bridges across the state that were destroyed by recent flooding.
The State Commissioner of Information, Alhaji Yakubu Ahmed Birnin Kebbi, made the call after leading a team to assess the situation in four local government areas badly affected by the disaster.
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According to him, the tragedy followed days of heavy downpour which triggered flooding that washed away several roads, including federal trunk “A” roads, bridges, farmlands, and houses.
“Major bridges have completely collapsed while farmlands remain submerged, almost cutting off Kebbi State from other parts of the country,” he said.
“The damage has disrupted the transportation of food to markets and threatens the nation’s food chain as Kebbi is one of Nigeria’s major food baskets.”
At Fana in Dandi Local Government Area, the District Head, Alhaji Muhammad Sani Fana, commended the governor for swiftly dispatching a committee to assess the damage and forward findings for prompt action.
He lamented that the flood had cut off the community, forcing residents to create makeshift passages for pedestrians and light vehicles.
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He noted that Governor Nasir Idris had already provided the community with relief materials, including bags of rice and ₦50 million, to cushion the hardship.
The committee’s inspection covered several critical areas for the first time, including Makera–Kangiwa Road in Birnin Kebbi LGA, Bunza–Natsini and Maidahini–Bunza Roads in Bunza LGA, and Fana–Dakingari Road in Dandi LGA. Others visited include Aljannare in Suru LGA and Gwadangwaji quarters in the state capital, where erosion is threatening the environment.
Some commuters who spoke to reporters expressed hope that the Federal Government would step in quickly.
They recounted harrowing experiences, including vehicles being trapped in floodwaters for up to seven days, stressing that only urgent intervention could restore normalcy.