Rainstorm Displaces over 1,000 People in Kogi Community

Ibrahim Oyewale in Lokoja

No fewer than 1,000 residents of Iyara community in Kogi State have been displaced by rainstorm that rocked the community, the headquarter of Ijumu Local Government Area.

Eye witness account told journalists that the rainstorm affected over one hundred houses as the roofs were taken off by the night rainstorm which occurred last Monday night. The traditional ruler of the town, Eleta Oluyara of Iyara, Oba Jacob Meduten, who spoke shortly after the disaster,  called on the government, well-to-do individuals and corporate bodies to assist the victims to ameliorate their sufferings.

Meanwhile, the Kogi State Government has appealed to the people of the state to take precautions as the rainy season is fast approaching.

The Executive Secretary, State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Mouktar Atimah, while confirming the incident in Iyara, said: “We got the information that a natural disasters happened in Iyara and immediately the office deployed men for an on-the-spot assessment. 

The local government area chairman also called us and we are partnering to see how to reduce the suffering of the affected victims.

“Everybody living on low ground should move to higher ground. The Kogi people should be very careful the way they roof their houses, because if your houses are not roofed properly, the breeze can easily access the building. The state Governor, Ahmed Usman Ododo, top priority is to alleviate the sufferings of Kogi people.”