Flooding: Uk’Omu Igala asks Buhari to deploy humanitarian ministry to Kogi communities

The Uk’Omu Igala Organisation, a national socio-cultural group, has asked President Muhammadu Buhari to deploy the ministry of humanitarian affairs to communities affected by flooding in Kogi state.

There are reported cases of flooding across the state and other parts of Nigeria, with so many residents displaced, farmlands submerged and properties destroyed.

In a statement signed by David Abutu, national leader of the group, and Sabastine Abu, the national secretary, the group said the Igala region of the state has been abandoned in the face of natural disasters, accidents and wanton destruction of lives and properties happening in the area.

The group also raised concerns over incessant violence and indiscriminate killings by local militia groups, while demanding security operatives step into the brewing communal crisis in the area.

“The people have evacuated their towns and villages and moved to Idah, Delta, Anambra, Edo, and Enugu states in search of safety, with thousands still stranded in the area without any help as all farmlands, roads, buildings, and social institutions have been submerged under heavy floods for close to a week now. There is comprehensive destruction of valuable assets; all crops planted in the local government, which is one of the food baskets of Nigeria, are lost. But no help has come from any quarters,” the group said.

“It is unbelievable that in Ankpa LGA, there was no fire service to halt the spread of fire from a petrol tanker that exploded at Mabolo bridge on Wednesday, September 28, 2022 killing over 20 persons who were burnt and smashed beyond recognition. The petrol tanker’s brake failed from the hill overlooking River Mabolo, exploded and its fire destroyed all the buses, motorcycles and persons in and around the busy river. Throughout the hours that the fire razed down people and properties, there was no help from any quarters. This is totally unbelievable! Ankpa is an old city, a commercial centre and the headquarters of Ankpa Local Government Area, but there is hardly any federal presence. We cannot accept such deadly negligence.

“Uk’Omu Igala, therefore, appeals that President Muhammadu Buhari should instruct the National Emergency Management Agency, the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, and the likes, to quickly intervene to mitigate the suffering and predicaments of the people displaced by the flood disaster in Ibaji LGA of Kogi state.

“The Federal Fire Service Office in Ankpa and other local governments in Kogi East should be equipped with functional vehicles, water, and other disasters responsive and management facilities, to avoid the re-occurrence of the disgraceful mayhem in Ankpa on Thursday. The federal government must compensate victims of the fire disaster and those in hospital should be given medical attention at the federal government or Kogi state government’s cost.

“Security agencies should move into Bassa LGA to arrest all members of the militia that have made the council a no-go area for other ethnic communities because of their violence and cannibalism. The criminals should be fished out, investigated and made to face the wrath of the law. This is the only way to curtail the barbarism going on in the area.”

On Saturday, Yahaya Bello, governor of Kogi, had called on Buhari to declare a “state of national disaster” over recent flooding in the country.