Aliyu and his family were already asleep when a heavy rainstorm began. Smitten with fear and turmoil, they watched helplessly as the rainstorm blew-off their rooftops allowing heavy water flow into their apartment. Their properties were destroyed and their children began to be crying. But the rainstorm only hit harder leaving them with no option than to seek shelter and protection in neighbouring houses — the very few saved from the havoc.
“This kind of incident is unprecedented, the rainstorm destroyed my house and shop, I can’t do anything right now, my children and wife too yet to find a shelter, we all just went separately in the night to seek refuge at any place we found and met again in the morning,” Aliyu Akuji, a resident of Akuji compound in Ilorin narrated his ordeal to this reporter.
September 19, 2020, will remain a night of gloom for several residents in parts of Kwara State where the heavy rainstorm ravaged communities, destroyed houses and shops, blew-off rooftops and left many less-privileged persons homeless.
This reporter who visited some areas in Ilorin, the state capital on Wednesday observed that since the incident, victims are still groaning amid lack of shelter as they continue to encounter a series of persistent rainfalls accompanied by a heavy flood in the following days.
Many of these displaced persons are taking refuge in mosques while others are putting up with their families and friends living within the neighbourhood.
According to the Kwara state government survey, 12 local government areas with about 15,000 households across 357 communities were affected. 13 deaths were also recorded during the incident and the state lost 10bn in the Agricultural sector and damaged properties.
The areas affected by the rainstorm are Ilorin East, Ilorin West, Ilorin South, Patigi, Edu, Moro, Kaiama, Ifelodun, Baruten, Asa, Isin, and Irepodun LGAs.
Earlier this year, the National Emergency Management Agency(NEMA) had alerted Nigerians to prepare for heavy rain between the months of August and October this year.
The agency in its alert made reference to a prediction from the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMeT) in February, as well as Nigeria Hydrological Service Agency (NIHSA) in May, informing Nigerians of impending heavy rainfall due to climate change and the melting of the ozone layer. This, they warned will lead to flooding.
28 states and 102 local governments were forecasted to be at risk of flooding by NEMA. One of the states mentioned in the forecast by the agency was Kwara State.
Some of the displaced persons who spoke with this reporter could not hold back their emotions as they reflected on the loss the ravaging storm has brought upon them. With deep anguish, they called on the government, corporate organizations, and privileged individuals to come to their aid.
In Olokonla compound, Ilorin out of the 27 households in the compound only 3 buildings were untouched, Alhaji Sambo Olokonla explained that more than 100 people were displaced by the rainstorm within the family compound.
“Husbands, wives, and children slept anywhere they see, we only met in the morning, anybody who sees the havoc wreaked on us by this rainstorm does not need to be told before they know that we need assistance,” Alhaji Olokonla said with dismay.
One of the affected residents who identified herself as Alhaja Fatiu explained that the rainstorm has made life unbearable for her, her husband, and her children. She explained that her husband also got injured during the incident.
She lamented, “All our rooftops are leaking and many of our properties sank in the water we can’t find any place to place our heads, in fact, my husband got injured when the incident occurred.”
Alhaji Ibrahim Bobonkiri, a resident of Bobonkiri compound in Ilorin, Kwara state recounted the ordeal of his family during the incident, he explained that the neighbouring residents who were not affected by the rainstorm borrowed them rooms which they squashed themselves in, he also said some residents lodged in the nearby mosques to sleep.
He said, “5 out of 7 households in this compound were affected, all of us are just loitering around, neighbouring houses squat few of us in their houses, while others squat in the mosque,”
He appealed to individuals, corporate organisations, and professional bodies to assist them in terms of household materials and other relief materials.
According to the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre(IDMC) “Two-thirds of all new internal displacements in 2018, amounting to 17.2 million people, were associated with disasters, mostly storms, and floods.
The rainstorm in Kwara, aside from displacing persons, affected economic activities. Several shops were destroyed alongside valuable properties.
Recounting, Roheemat Jimoh who is into event planning, decoration, and cake explained that the rain invaded her shop and destroyed some bags of flour, flour and cakes meant for the event.
“The rainstorm destroyed some bags of flours, colouring, mirrors, cakes and other materials in my shop which are worthy of almost 100,000, we even have a wedding to plan on Saturday but the materials that we are supposed to use have been destroyed and you know our customers won’t listen and we are yet to find a way out,” she gestured.
Like Roheemat, Abdulgafar whose provision store was affected explained that the rain invaded his shop and drenched many of his provisions in water.
“The rain destroyed a lot of things in my shop, most of the glasses and cartons of provisions in my shop were destroyed as of now we are yet to start the normal business, I am still looking for a way out.”
Ismail Oke, who is into Aluminum business also recounted the havoc the rainstorm wreaked on his business appealing to the government to come to their aid.
“The rainstorm destroyed some aluminum materials and other properties worthy of #500,000 all the glasses that we wished to deliver to some people too have been destroyed by the flood and rainstorm, we call on the government to assist us,” he said.
According to IDMC, ” Losing everything is usually the first of many disruptions that the victims of natural disasters usually suffer.”
The agency added that affected people may be forced to move multiple times once they become displaced, and it can take months or even years before they can return home. Those who do return often face unsafe conditions and the prospect of becoming displaced again by the next disaster. This now rings true for the individuals affected by the Kwara rainstorm.
WHAT HAS THE GOVERNMENT DONE?
On Monday, two days after the incident, the Kwara State Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq set up a nine-person committee to conduct an assessment of the damage caused by the rainstorm in different parts of the state especially the state capital, Ilorin.
The committee is to collate data of areas affected and determine how the state government can offer support to victims based on available resources.
The Governor and his cabinet also assured the community that the state government will promptly provide palliatives to the victims to ease their hardship.
During his visit to President Muhammad Buhari on Tuesday, he solicited the president’s support for the households and communities affected by the recent flooding and rainstorm.
He also said that he informed the president regarding the situation which he appealed to the federal government to assist the state with food items, housing materials, and other relief items in order to put smiles on the face of the victims.
Meanwhile, the state government flagged off the distribution of palliatives to the residents of Jebba and some north senatorial districts yesterday noting that the gesture would be extended to other communities as soon as the data is collated.
Though a number of non-governmental organizations and wealthy individuals have also come to the aid of some of the victims, there still remain scores of others who are yet to receive the support of the government as of the time of filing this report.