Over 1,500 Jibiya Flood IDPs In Katsina Appeal For Quick Assistance

Jibiya residents in Katsina state, northwest Nigeria are still battling hard with the situation of about 1500 internally displaced persons as a result of flooding that left many of them homeless exactly a week ago.

Solacebase on a visit to the area observed that victims of the flood in Jibiya local government that shares border with Niger Republic, said their situation remain pathetic.

The rainfall according to the residents which was unprecedented lasted for about 3 hours in the night that led to the flooding.

Authorities’ concern say over 50 persons died in the natural disaster, 27 missing with 20 others recuperating at hospital and hundreds of live stocks dead.

Ibrahim Elbi is a father of 22 children with three wives who lost his beloved daughter of 13 years Muhsina Ibrahim to the disaster.

“We were about going to bed on the faithful day though some of my family were already asleep when it started raining. Honestly the rainfall that started around 11.00pm to 1.00am was so unprecedented that our houses were flooded and the buildings collapsed,” said Elbi.

“I had to quickly relocate my family to the other part of the building not flooded to safety when Muhsina, a primary six pupil was taken away by the flood and later died”

The mother of the deceased, Samira Ibrahim said it was a sad situation for her.

“I was together with the deceased and three of my other children when our house built about thirty years ago was flooded. Muhsina who was on the bed quickly tried to get up when our room was flooded but could not while I was also trying to save a baby I was backing and carrying another. Already the wardrobe in my room fell as part of the room also gave way, then while the flood was taking Muhsina away, she was asking me to forgive her as if with the premonition she would not survive it and I told her ,I forgave her”.

Executive Secretary Katsina state Emergency Management Agency, Dr. Aminu Waziri said medical provision are being provided for the Internally displaced persons to check spread of diseases as efforts are being put in place to relocate the victims.

“Already we are being supported by NEMA, Red Cross, Air Force medical team and some registered NGOs to provide immediate reliefs to the victims and trauma treatment with counseling “.

Speaking to Solacebase Katsina state commissioner for Environment Alh. Hamza Sulaiman said the houses which were on water ways were built over forty years and the state government is making efforts to relocate them.

Some residents of the area however attributed the calamity to blockade of water channels with debris and structures.

The IDPs residing at Jibiya Primary school were allotted 45 persons to a class.

While yearning to go back to a comfortable shelter, many of them whose houses were destroyed by the flood appealed for assistance as many cannot afford to reconstruct their houses.

Though the Vice President Yemi Osinbanjo was in Katsina last Tuesday with a promise to support the victims , same with Katsina state government,  how soon the assistance will come is what the victims are longing to see.