Map of Cross River State in Southern part of Nigeria
By PATRICK ABANG, Calabar –
A heavy downpour has destroyed over 100 houses in Okubuchi community in Boki Local Government Area of Cross River State.
The windstorm that accompanied the rainfall also displaced over 500 households from their ancestral homes, who are now seeking refuge in nearby communities.
A leader of Okubuchi community, Mr Anthony Ewah-Obi, who conducted newsmen round the affected community on Monday in Boki, said the windstorm occurred on July 16, 2022.
Ewah-Obi stated that properties which worth over N1.5billion were destroyed by the windstorm in the community.
He explained that the windstorm disaster struck the community after a rainfall, pulling down trees, destroying houses and economic trees among others.
“We have not had this kind of disaster before in our community. The windstorm destroyed over 100 houses including economic trees and other valuables.
“As we speak, over 500 households have been displaced as a result of the heavy windstorm. Many of them are now refugees in nearby communities.
“We are looking for federal and state government intervention because our people are stranded; it is not easy for a man and his family to seek refuge in a house that is not his,” he said.
One of the victims, Mr Sunday Otu, said the effect of the windstorm has also affected the education of their children.
Otu explained that some of the affected pupils have left the community to seek refuge in nearby villages with their parents.
Otu, whose roof was destroyed, appealed to the state and federal government to come to their aid.
A member representing Boki 2 State Constituency in the Cross River House of Assembly, Mr Hilary Bisong, who also visited the affected community, sympathised with them over the disaster.
Bisong called on the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to come to the aid of the affected community with relief materials to ease their current plight.
While sympathizing with the affected community, Mr Princewill Ayim, Director General of Cross River Emergency Management Agency, in a telephone interview stated that he has been briefed on the incident.
Ayim said that the agency will soon visit the community for an assessment and thereafter invite NEMA Zonal office, South South, for intervention.
