Niger State Government on Wednesday donated N7 million cash to 14 victims of recent Suleja and Tafa flood disaster.
Presenting the money to the victims in Minna, Alhaji Ahmed Inga, the Director-General of the State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA), said that the gesture was aimed at alleviating the sufferings of the victims.
Inga noted that the money was part of the state government’s intervention to victims who lost their loved ones during the flood.
“It is not a compensation, it is an assistance by the state government to alleviate the sufferings of the victims,” he said.
He advised the members of the public to avoid building structures on waterways.
“This is dry season, don’t think the waters are gone and you will go and build on waterways because when the raining season commences, there will be flood.
“And we don’t pray for what happened in the past to happen again, only if people obey the rules,” he said.
Malam Sa’ad Abubakar, one of the victims who lost his two wives and six children in the disaster was given N4 million.
Abubakar, who spoke after receiving the money, commended the state government for coming to his aid, noting that the assistance would help to alleviate his plight.
“I will use the money to get another portion of land to build another house far away from waterways and use part of the money to enlarge my business,” he said.
Another victim, Aliyu Gombe, who lost his elder brother during the flood collected N500, 000.
He commended the state government for supporting the victims and promised to make judicious use of the money in memory of his late brother.
“Even though I know that the money cannot pay for the life of my late brother, but I believe that with this assistance, the soul of my brother will rest in peace,” he said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that 14 persons lost their lives and property worth millions of naira were destroyed during the flood disaster that affected about 600 people. (NAN)
