Residents of Irri clan in Isoko South seek help as flood ravages homes

Scores of inhabitants of the Irri Clan in Isoko South Local Government Area of Delta State, who have been dislodged from their homes by a ravaging flood that has refused to subside, have cried out for help from the state government and other relevant agencies.

Tribune Online reports that Irri Clan is the largest clan in the Isoko nation, having its spread across the River Niger with headquarters at Irri town.

Checks revealed that Irri town and her sub-clans namely Ikpide-Irri, Kannan-Irri, Onitsha-Irri and Warri-Irri, which are located above the bank of River Niger, are all currently ravaged by flood.

A source and resident, Edede Jonadab, told our correspondent on Wednesday that flooding in the area had started as early as September till date.

As a result, several inhabitants whose homes and farms have been taken over by floods, are currently taking refuge in public schools in the area.

“Before now, residents of all these sub-clans of Irri, who have been taking refuge in Irri town, have met with the more devastating situation as their place of refuge has also been sacked by the flood since October 8, 2022,” Jonadab, who’s a journalist, informed our correspondent.

It was gathered that farmlands have been overtaken as many of the affected folks are hunger-beaten.

Besides, their household property such as mattresses, electronics, and furniture among others have been destroyed.

“Where do they go from here? These are farming communities, and their situation today shows that in the near future much hunger will ravage Nigerians, farming activities have been stopped, hunger and homelessness were now the order of the day,” Jonadab lamented.

A palace chief at the Irri Kingdom, Chief Odio Silas, while fielding questions from our correspondent on a WhatsApp video call, said he has no fewer than 17 families with their children taking refuge in his house after they were sacked from their homes by the flood.

“I’ve not been able to sleep because of an avalanche of complaints from my people. Affected people have packed to my house. I can’t rest. I can’t feed. People have lost their accommodation to flood.

“I have more than 17 families in my house with their children. I drove to Catholic Boys School to pick up my children yesterday and the road was dry. But as of this morning, it has been overtaken by flood.

“Other schools are also overtaken in my domain,” he lamented.

A food vendor, who has abandoned her store to flood and taken shelter on a major road to sell her wares also spoke to our correspondent on WhatsApp video.

“I’m helping my mom to sell food. I’m a tailor, but I don’t have money to rent a store. My mom’s store has been ravaged by flood. We can’t use it as water has practically ‘swallowed’ the whole place,” she lamented.

Meanwhile, Chief Odio has pleaded with the Delta State government to come to the aid of the flood victims across the Irri clan in the Isoko South Local Government Area.

“Government should send relief materials to victims. The people need their accommodation back. They need to feed.

“The River Niger needs total dredging after the floods are over to avert a recurrence,” he suggested.

ALSO READ FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE