*More 1.3m children affected by flood in Nigeria, says Save the Children International
*Declare national disaster in Nigeria, Catholic church tells FG
*Isoko Rep candidate, others sue federal govt for negligence
*Demand N100bn compensation
Alex Enumah, Onyebuchi Ezigbo, Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja and Ibrahim Oyewale in Lokoja
The All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, Mr. Bola Ahmed Tinubu has assured the people of Kogi and Benue states of his commitment to combat the perennial flooding confronting the two states if voted in the 2023 general elections
Tinubu who made the pledge while speaking to a large crowd of APC supporters at Muhammadu Buhari Civil Centre in Lokoja, Kogi State capital yesterday.
The APC presidential flag bearer who was represented by the Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, stated that the problems of flooding would be tackled headlong and the people of the affected areas would have sigh of relief.
“Let me assure you that one of the very first things we will tackle is the perennial flooding in Kogi State. Flooding is a big problem in Kogi perhaps because of its strategic location as the confluence between Rivers Niger and Benue.
“This state has particularly been ravaged this year by flooding. You have lost precious lives; you have lost properties; you have lost farmlands. Part of the reasons we have put together this special walk for Tinubu/Shettima is to draw attention to this flooding problem.
“I want to tell you today that flooding will be a thing of the past when we get to office. We will work with the Kogi State Government to devise a permanent solution to this problem. The blessings of God exemplified in torrential rain should not be a curse on us.
“Secondly and more importantly, as I have stated clearly in our Action Plan tagged, ‘Renewed Hope,’ we will work assiduously to confront security, revamp the economy, target double-digit GDP, increase megawatts of electricity to power the industries, businesses and homes, and empower our people through creation of jobs for our people, affordable loans to our people and mortgages to help those who desire to acquire their own homes,” he said.
On electricity supply, Tinubu stressed that with improved and increased megawatts of electricity, noting that his administration would generally work towards the industrialisation of the country.
“In the area of agriculture and infrastructure delivery, particularly railways and road networks, we will continue the successes recorded by President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration and also move to improve on them.
“We will do even more. The details of our agenda are contained in our Action Plan. I make bold to restate that we will tap and develop the abundant resources available in Kogi State in conjunction with the Kogi State Government for the benefit of the people of Kogi and Nigeria.
“I assure you, this state will not be surcharged in the scheme of things. With me as your president, you will get what is due to you,” the APC standard bearer said.
SCI: More 1.3m Children Affected by Flood in Nigeria
Meanwhile, the Save the Children International (SCI) has revealed that more than 1.25 million children have been affected by flood.
The organisation in a statement issued yesterday and signed by its Global Director Child Poverty, Climate and Urban, Yolande Wright, also revealed that about 250 schools have been destroyed, while millions of people were forced to flee their homes.
It added that widespread flooding over the past three months have thrown the lives of about 19 million children off course in the top five most impacted countries, including Pakistan, Nigeria, India, Chad and South Sudan.
It stressed that flooding in the five countries affected a total of 38.7 million people, according to the International Disasters Database, with thousands of people killed and millions displaced.
SCI added that water flowing above dangerous levels left a trail of destruction in each country, with homes sub-merged, crops destroyed, and schools forced to close – jeopardising the education of thousands of children.
It said the five countries most affected by flooding with available Acute Food Insecurity Data all suffer from high levels of food insecurity, stressing that the countries were in the grips of a hunger crisis being accelerated by climate disasters.
It stated: “In Nigeria, where about 19 million people were already experiencing crisis-levels of hunger or worse, extreme flooding has destroyed hundreds of thousands of acres of farmland.
“More than 1.25 million children have been affected by the worst floods to hit Nigeria in a decade. With at least 250 schools destroyed and millions of people forced to flee their homes, flooding has taken a serious toll on children’s learning.”
In Nigeria, SCI said it was providing children and families affected by flooding with life-saving food, safe drinking water, cash assistance, mattresses, blankets, mosquito nets, child protection services and emergency shelter kits.
It said it was supporting 36,000 children and 18,000 families in the most affected areas in six states of Jigawa, Benue, Borno, Yobe, Kogi, and Oyo.
Flooding: Declare National Disaster in Nigeria, Catholic Church tells FG
In a related development, the Catholic church in Nigeria has asked the federal government to declare the devastating flood that ravaged a lot of communities across country a national disaster.
It said government should use the opportunity to, “to seek for ways and means to forestall future occurrence or a timeous arrest of the ravaging effect should the menace seem intractable.”
The suggestion came just as the Knights of St John International, Nigeria said they have donated N6 million to flood victims across the country.
A statement issued by the Secretary General of the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria, Padre Mike Nsikak Umoh, stated that apart from declaring the ugly occurrence as a national disaster, the church was urging government to muster appropriate action to cushion the ravaging effects as well as invite international communities and humanitarian organisations for speedy interventions and aids.
In a letter, dated November 1, 2022, to the President of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN), Most Rev. Lucius Iwejuru Ugorji, and signed by the trio: the Supreme Subordinate President, Major General Remy Uche, the Supreme subordinate Treasurer, Brig. Gen. Solomon Obeakameh and the Supreme subordinate Secretary, Brig. Gen. Cletus Ntong, the Order expressed “deep sympathy with all the victims of the flood disaster that recently ravaged many communities within our territorial Jurisdiction.”
In response to the devastating consequences of the flood currently ravaging many cities across Nigeria, the Knights and Ladies of the Ancient and Noble Order of the Knights of St. John International in Nigeria said they have donated N 6 million “in the first instance,” to the victims through six Dioceses, based on “the cardinal objective of our Order on Charity.”
The letter also said, “We very much appreciate their pains which visibly manifested in the loss of life, valuable property, and displacement of abode.”
The Order urged the federal government of Nigeria to “declare this ugly occurrence as a National Disaster and muster appropriate action to cushion the ravaging effects as well as invite international communities and humanitarian organisations for speedy interventions and aids.”
Besides seeking for aids, the body of Catholics also urged the federal government of Nigeria “to seek for ways and means to forestall future occurrence or a timeous arrest of the ravaging effect should the menace seem intractable.”
Flooding: Isoko Rep Candidate, Others Sue FG for Negligence
In the meantime, a Delta State House of Representatives candidate in the 2023 general elections, Esanerovo Agbodo has instituted a legal action against the federal government over the recent flooding that ravaged homes, farmland and communities in Delta State and other parts of the country.
Agbodo, who is contesting the Isoko Federal Constituency seat on the platform of the National Rescue Movement (NRM) party specifically accused the federal government of negligence over the flooding which has rendered many homeless in some Isoko communities.
In the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2025/2022, filed at the Federal High Court, Abuja, plaintiffs sought an order of court directing the federal government to pay the total sum of N100 billion as compensation to the plaintiffs and other victims of flooding in both Isoko North and Isoko South Local Government Areas in Delta State.
While the plaintiffs in the suit are Esanerovo Agbodo, Esi Michael, Efekuje Success, Odueme Alo, Chief Esugo Lion and Maxwell Egba, the defendants include; President Muhammadu Buhari, the Attorney General of the Federation and the Minister of Water Resources.
Among the issues brought before the court for determination included, “Whether the discontinuity of the process of construction of the Datsin Hausa Dam in Adamawa State by the Minister of Water Resources, Engr. Suleiman Adamu due to poor Feasibility study and Engineering Design as he claimed during the Minister’s interaction with a Committee in the National Assembly recently, without immediately making arrangements since 2016, six years ago for a better Feasibility study and Engineering Design, having in mind the urgency of building the Dam to avert future occurrence of the destruction of this annual flooding in Nigeria was right and not equal to negligence.”
Plaintiffs also asked the court to determine whether the defendants did not violate Section 33 of the Constitution as well as Sections 14(2b) and 214 by neglecting to construct the dams in Adamawa State and dredge major rivers in the country.
According to the suit dated and filed by their lawyers, Oghenekaro Agbodo, plaintiff argued that the perennial flooding in Isoko North and Isoko South Local Government Area of Delta State, could have been avoided if the federal government had completed the said dam and also dredged major rivers in the country.
While they asked the court to declare that the Ecological Funds have been misappropriated since 2001, plaintiffs asked the court to declare flooding an issue of national importance.
Accordingly, they asked for an order compelling the defendants to complete the dam and dredge major rivers in the country.
They also asked for another order compelling the National Assembly to probe the appropriation of the ecological funds from 2001 till date.
In addition, they urged a, “declaration that the Federal Government of Nigeria should identify and compensate these victims of the 2022 flooding in Isoko North and Isoko South Local Government Areas with the sum of N100 billion for loss of sources of livelihood and separation from families and living environment.”
No date has been fixed for the hearing of the suit.
