By Aliyu Bala Gerengi, Gombe
A devastating flood has destroyed property worth thousands of naira, including food grains, livestock, household items and farmlands in Wuro Dole village, Gona Emirate of Akko Local Government Area, Gombe State.
The disaster occurred on Sunday night following a heavy rainfall that triggered widespread flooding, leaving many families homeless and causing extensive damage across the community.
During a sympathy visit to the affected area, the Overseer of Akko Local Government Area, Barrister Abdullahi Abdulkadir, described the incident as unfortunate and heartbreaking.
Barrister Abdulkadir, who led a delegation that included the Overseers of Akko West, Alhaji Lamaran Ahmed, and Akko North, Amada Muhammad Abubakar Ajiya, alongside other principal officers, said the visit was aimed at identifying with the victims and assessing the extent of the damage.
He urged residents to accept the disaster as an act of God and assured them that officials from the Social Welfare Department would conduct a comprehensive assessment to facilitate the provision of relief materials and other forms of assistance.
“We are here to sympathize with the affected families and assure them that the government is concerned about their plight.
Necessary steps will be taken to assess the losses and provide support where possible,” he said.
The District Head of Wuro Dole, Alhaji Hussaini Ishiyaku, expressed appreciation to the delegation for the visit and appealed to government agencies and humanitarian organisations to urgently provide relief assistance to the victims.
He said many families had lost their means of livelihood and would require immediate support to recover from the disaster.
Also speaking, the member representing Akko North Constituency in the Gombe State House of Assembly, Hon. Musa Mohammed Wuro Biriji, donated ₦250,000 to the affected victims.
The lawmaker assured residents that he would table the matter before the State House of Assembly to facilitate government intervention and attract support for the affected community.
One of the victims, Ali Zarami Bakin Boda, while taking the delegation round the affected areas, attributed the flooding to a heavy downpour and the blockage of a culvert, which caused water to overflow into homes and farmlands.
Another victim, Malam Usman Munkaila, described the incident as a major disaster that had brought severe hardship to residents and appealed to government at all levels, humanitarian agencies and wealthy individuals to come to the aid of the victims, noting that some families lost all their possessions while others were left without shelter.
The affected residents called for urgent intervention to enable them rebuild their homes, restore their livelihoods and recover from the devastating impact of the flood.