A violent rainstorm left a trail of destruction in the Iyah Gbedde community within the Ijumu LGA of Kogi, causing extensive damage to fifteen residences and numerous farmlands. According to the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), a 48-hour rainfall is anticipated over parts of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and 24 states from Thursday to Friday. Emmanuel Jeminiwa, the National President of the Iyah Gbede Development Association (IDA), expressed deep concern over the incident, labeling it as “devastating and very unfortunate.”
While specific figures regarding affected individuals and homes were not provided by Jeminiwa, he emphasized that numerous families have been left “homeless and helpless” due to the calamity. “The distressing aspect is the loss of our essential food crops like yams, cassava, and maize due to the torrential rain, leaving us with no recourse,” quoted NAN. “Iyah Gbede is primarily an agrarian community, magnifying the devastation on our crops. The disaster has also severely impacted our community’s roads, making them impassable.”
He further highlighted that farmers were unable to reach their farms due to the floods, which had led to the destruction of their plantations. Jeminiwa emphasized that the damage inflicted surpassed the community’s capacity to manage, underscoring the urgent need for assistance to those affected. Meanwhile, Victor Omofeye, the State Commissioner for Environment, acknowledged the government’s awareness of the incident. Omofeye assured that comprehensive measures were being taken to assess the extent of the damage and determine how assistance could be extended to the victims. He cautioned residents against residing in flood-prone areas, particularly in light of NiMET’s early warning regarding the severity of this year’s rainfall and its potentially devastating impacts.
