A devastating flood has destroyed thousands of hectares of farmlands in Shonga, Edu Local Government Area of Kwara State, leaving hundreds of rice farmers displaced and investments worth millions of naira ruined.
The unexpected flooding, which many described as “strange,” has raised concerns about food security in the region, particularly as Shonga is known for its massive rice production.
Emir of Shonga Calls for Investigation
The Emir of Shonga, Dr. Halidu Yahya Ndanusa, expressed deep sorrow over the disaster during a visit by a state government delegation led by Deputy Chief of Staff Princess Bukola Babalola. He described the incident as a significant threat to food security and called for a thorough investigation into its cause.
“From here up to Ouagadougou in Burkina Faso, Niger Republic, and Mali, there was no rain. The Sahel is dry. How can there be a flood here? The source of this flood must be local,” the Emir said.
He added that the Kainji Dam authorities confirmed they did not release water, but Jebba Dam “could not deny it.” According to the Emir, Jebba Dam admitted it was releasing water and promised to close it soon.
Dr. Ndanusa highlighted the years of effort it took to attract farmers to Shonga and stressed the importance of preventing such occurrences in the future. “We hope this will not happen again next year to avert food insecurity. It is very important that we get to the roots of the matter,” he said, questioning who authorized the release of water from Jebba Dam, if indeed it was responsible.
Farmers Count Losses
The flooding has affected farmers from across northern Nigeria, including Kebbi, Zamfara, Kano, and Niger states. Muhammad Abdulkadir, a community leader, estimated the losses in millions of naira, noting the importance of government intervention.
“Our farmers here come from different states in the north. They have lost millions of naira worth of rice farms to this flooding. When there was no flooding, we realized over 3 million metric tonnes of rice here annually,” Abdulkadir said.
He urged the government to find a lasting solution to the recurring problem, suggesting that “the permanent solution is to dredge the River Niger.”
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Government Promises Relief and Action
During her visit to the affected community in Tada, Princess Bukola Babalola assured the victims that the government would assist them in recovering from their losses.
“We are here to see the damage done to the farms, especially the rice farms in Tada community. We have seen what happened, and we are taking the message back to the Governor to see what can be done to remedy the situation,” Babalola said.
She also acknowledged the farmers’ cries for support and promised immediate action. “Help is on the way,” she assured, adding that the government would work to determine the cause of the flooding and address it.
Babalola thanked the community for their patience and cooperation and reiterated the government’s commitment to their well-being.
Relief Materials Delivered
To ease the immediate hardship caused by the disaster, the government delivered relief materials worth millions of naira to farmers in the affected community.
The visit by the state delegation, coupled with their promises of support, has provided some hope to the devastated farmers. However, calls for a permanent solution to the flooding problem remain loud and clear, with the community urging swift action to prevent future disasters.