Disasters: 349 people died in 10 months — Niger govt

The Niger State Government has said it has recorded no fewer than about four major disasters in four local government areas of the state in 10 months, from September 2024 till June this year, which have claimed about 349 lives so far.

The Director General of the Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA), Hon. Abdullahi Baba Arah, stated this in a press statement issued and made available to journalists on Tuesday in Minna, adding that since then the agency has been on its toes.

He, however, expressed his deepest sympathy to the families affected by the disasters and reaffirmed his unwavering commitment towards safeguarding the lives and properties of all the citizens and residents in the state.

Arah noted that the first major disaster that occurred during his tenure as the DG of NSEMA was the Agaie LGA’s petroleum tanker explosion on the 24th of September, 2024, which claimed 60 lives, while about eight other victims sustained varying degrees of injuries.

“First major disaster that occurred during my tenure as the Director General of NSEMA was the Agaie Local Government Council’s petroleum tanker explosion on the 24th of September, 2024, which claimed 60 lives, while about eight other victims sustained varying degrees of injuries,” he disclosed.

He stated further that this was followed by the Mashegu LGA’s dynamite explosion, which also claimed lives and destroyed property worth several million naira and left some other individuals incapacitated.

The NSEMA DG further explained that the recent Mokwa flash flood disaster, which claimed over 207 lives, destroyed properties worth several million naira, and left an unknown number of people missing, is a turning point for the agency, as it has stretched her manpower to the limit.

“The recent Mokwa Flash Flood disaster, which claimed over 207 lives and destroyed properties worth several millions of naira, as uncounted numbers of people have been declared missing and which the state government is still battling with, is the turning point for the agency as it stretched her manpower to the limit,” the NSEMA DG added.

He commended the state governor, Mohammed Umaru Bago, for his untiring support to the agency in delivering its mandate. The NSEMA boss also expressed concern about the side effects of armed bandit challenges, which have recently resurfaced in parts of the state, such as in the Rijau and Mariga LGAs of Niger State.

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