Kano - Maiduguri highway washed away by flood close to Azare, Katagum LGA, Bauchi State
By ARMSTRONG ALLAHMAGANI, Bauchi –
Bauchi State Commissioner for Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management, Hajara Wanka, has disclosed that 24 people have lost their lives while 163 others severely injured in flooding that affected 16 Local Government Areas of the State in 2024.
She revealed this while briefing journalists on the outcome of the State Executive Council Meeting on Monday in Bauchi, saying that properties worth N22,319,480,000 were destroyed across the State.
The Commissioner said that 52,045 houses across the LGAs were destroyed while a total of 122,340 households were displaced and more than 11,143 animals were killed.
She added that 12 major roads mostly in the northern part of the state were cut off, 60 culverts were washed away while 178 electric poles collapsed.
Wanka said that the Ministry for Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management has been collaborating with the Federal Government through the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and the State’s Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), in providing immediate relief to those affected to ameliorate their sufferings.
She said the governor constituted a committee under the leadership of the Commissioner for Budget and Planning with relevant Ministries as members, with the close supervision of the Secretary to the Bauchi State Government and directed them to go round areas affected and come up with a comprehensive report on levels of damages, and how the state can intervene.
“During this floods, sadly, we recorded 24 loss of lives across the 16 local government areas of the State, 163 people were severely injured. 122,340 households were displaced, 12 major roads were cut off mostly in the northern part of the state. So far, 60 culverts were washed away. 52,045 houses across the LGAs were destroyed. 178 electric poles collapsed. There were more than 11,143 animals were killed.
“We’re still working on the Ministries for Health and Education to ascertain the level of damages caused in our schools and facilities that were affected. Even though the catastrophe is unquantifiable as the rains still go on, but as at present, throughout the state and as a result of flooding this year so far, we have lost properties worth N22,319,480,000.
“We’ve been putting heads together with the Federal Government not just to ascertain the levels of damage but to come up with a lasting solution. And the Governor has directed and we went round most of the affected communities to distribute relief materials of both non-food items food items with cash to various communities.
“The Governor has also approved additional funding for the immediate repairs of culverts and the purchase of food and non-food items for distribution to the affected communities,” she stated.
