Citing Alleged Irregularities, Mokwa Flood Victims Allege Exclusion from Gov Bago’s N1bn Relief Package

Some victims of the recent flood in Mokwa, Niger State, have alleged exclusion from the N1billion state government compensation.
The victims made the allegations in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Mokwa yesterday.
Governor Umaru Bago of Niger State had, in June, approved N1 billion to support victims of the Mokwa flood.
According to the governor, 458 affected households will receive N1 million each and 25 bags of grains, including 10 bags of rice, five bags of maize, five bags of sorghum, and five bags of millet.
Bago had also stated that the next-of-kin of the 209 deceased victims would receive N1 million each, while 280 house and shop owners would receive N500,000 each for reconstruction.
However, after the distribution of the relief materials, some victims of the disaster alleged irregularities in the distribution process, saying not all affected persons received the compensation.
One of the victims, Farida Abubakar, told NAN that she lost her mother, who was the breadwinner of their family, during the flood.
She alleged that she was told by the Mokwa Flood Relief Distribution Committee that she would not benefit because she does not have a husband.
“When they were writing names of people who lost their loved ones, I went for my name to be captured. I was told I don’t have a husband, so I was not qualified to benefit.
“I have three other younger siblings. We have been feeding from hand to mouth. We have been sleeping in Tiffin-Maza primary school because I don’t have money to rent a house for us to live in,” she said.
Another victim, Yusuf Isah, 74, said he constructed a hut to live with his wife and eight children after they lost their rented apartment to the flood.
“When the flood came, it washed away all our belongings. The landlord of the house collected N1 million for the household and N500,000 for the house owner, but refused to share the money with me.

“The landlord only gave me three bags of grain out of the 25 bags given to her,” he said.

Sarkin Hausawa in Mokwa, Alhaji Tanko Bala, confirmed that some affected victims were yet to be compensated.

He said the most affected people in the flood were Hausa people and commended the efforts of the state government for supporting victims with relief materials and cash.

He, however, alleged that there were mistakes in the compensation process.

“Some households that were supposed to benefit from N1 million got N1.5 million instead, and house owners that were supposed to get N500,000 got N1.5 million,” he explained.

Also speaking, the Chairman of the Mokwa Flood Relief Distribution Committee and Secretary of the Council, Dauda Liman, said the relief distribution was done in three batches.

He said that the victims who were yet to be compensated were those who left for other communities after the flood due to trauma, but later returned when they heard of the relief distribution.

He called on the state government to deliver the remaining 20 trucks of grain out of the 50 trucks promised by the governor for onward distribution to the remaining victims.

Responding, Director, Relief and Rehabilitation, Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA), Alhaji Salihu Garba, said the agency synergised with community-based organisations to identify victims and distribute the relief materials.

“We relied on the information and data generated by them because our search and rescue operations were carried out jointly with them.

“We are aware that some victims were not captured, and that’s why we opened a complaint desk,” he said.

He noted that due to the magnitude and destructive nature of the disaster, it was not possible to capture every victim at the same time.

 
Some victims of the recent flood in Mokwa, Niger State, have alleged exclusion from the N1billion state government compensation.
The victims made the allegations in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Mokwa yesterday.
Governor Umaru Bago of Niger State had, in June, approved N1 billion to support victims of the Mokwa flood.
According to the governor, 458 affected households will receive N1 million each and 25 bags of grains, including 10 bags of rice, five bags of maize, five bags of sorghum, and five bags of millet.
Bago had also stated that the next-of-kin of the 209 deceased victims would receive N1 million each, while 280 house and shop owners would receive N500,000 each for reconstruction.
However, after the distribution of the relief materials, some victims of the disaster alleged irregularities in the distribution process, saying not all affected persons received the compensation.
One of the victims, Farida Abubakar, told NAN that she lost her mother, who was the breadwinner of their family, during the flood.
She alleged that she was told by the Mokwa Flood Relief Distribution Committee that she would not benefit because she does not have a husband.
“When they were writing names of people who lost their loved ones, I went for my name to be captured. I was told I don’t have a husband, so I was not qualified to benefit.
“I have three other younger siblings. We have been feeding from hand to mouth. We have been sleeping in Tiffin-Maza primary school because I don’t have money to rent a house for us to live in,” she said.
Another victim, Yusuf Isah, 74, said he constructed a hut to live with his wife and eight children after they lost their rented apartment to the flood.
“When the flood came, it washed away all our belongings. The landlord of the house collected N1 million for the household and N500,000 for the house owner, but refused to share the money with me.

“The landlord only gave me three bags of grain out of the 25 bags given to her,” he said.

Sarkin Hausawa in Mokwa, Alhaji Tanko Bala, confirmed that some affected victims were yet to be compensated.

He said the most affected people in the flood were Hausa people and commended the efforts of the state government for supporting victims with relief materials and cash.

He, however, alleged that there were mistakes in the compensation process.

“Some households that were supposed to benefit from N1 million got N1.5 million instead, and house owners that were supposed to get N500,000 got N1.5 million,” he explained.

Also speaking, the Chairman of the Mokwa Flood Relief Distribution Committee and Secretary of the Council, Dauda Liman, said the relief distribution was done in three batches.

He said that the victims who were yet to be compensated were those who left for other communities after the flood due to trauma, but later returned when they heard of the relief distribution.

He called on the state government to deliver the remaining 20 trucks of grain out of the 50 trucks promised by the governor for onward distribution to the remaining victims.

Responding, Director, Relief and Rehabilitation, Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA), Alhaji Salihu Garba, said the agency synergised with community-based organisations to identify victims and distribute the relief materials.

“We relied on the information and data generated by them because our search and rescue operations were carried out jointly with them.

“We are aware that some victims were not captured, and that’s why we opened a complaint desk,” he said.

He noted that due to the magnitude and destructive nature of the disaster, it was not possible to capture every victim at the same time