Jigawa flood: Death toll rises to 60 as State’s Relief Agency runs on Credit

By Ahmed Rufa’i, Dutse

The Jigawa State Emergency relief Management Agency (SEMA) has announced the death of 60 persons in the state on account of the flood disaster that has ravaged the State.

The agency said it has opened 16 Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps in the state.

The executive secretary of the agency, Alhaji Yusuf Sani Babura made the disclosure while speaking to our reporter in Dutse.

He said 50 persons died last week, while six lives were also lost this week”.

Babura added that he also heard that a local canoe capsized where four persons also died.

According to him the agency had so far opened 16 Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps in the state with thousands of people trooping in to take refuge, “I cannot give the specific number of the displaced persons as every day they are increasing. As you can see everyday there is heavy down pour of rain and the disaster is increasing”.

He explained that the agency has 11 Internally Displaced Person (IDP) camps in Jigawa northeast (Hadejia arae) two in Miga, two in Dutse and one in Birninkudu local government areas (Jigawa Southwest).

The executive secretary disclosed that the agency is running all it’s operation on credit, adding that “this is an emergency, we can not wait for long protocols before we reach victims of desaster”.

Alhaji Babura maintained that “all that we are doing is on credit, the state government is yet to release any money. But we have no doubts the government will settle it when we make submissions”.

He added that the agency has made a proposal to assist the families of the deceased who died as a result of the flood, the capsized canoe and collapsed buildings, but the governor is yet to approve it.