- In order to lessen the effects of flooding in Minna, the state capital, and its surroundings, Niger State Governor Muhammad Umar Bago has reportedly ordered the State Urban Development Board, NSUDB, and other pertinent agencies to remove all structures built on waterways with immediate effect. The Governor issued the order via his deputy governor, Yakubu Garba, following an inspection of various Minna regions recently hit by severe rain.
- A technical team made up of representatives from NSEMA, the NSUDB, the Niger State Environmental Protection Agency, NISEPA, and security agencies will travel around to assess the structures on waterways, according to the Deputy Governor, who is also the Chairman of the State Emergency Management Agency, NSEMA. We must make room so that the water can flow freely, he argued. The state’s relevant agencies will see to it that any obstructions on rivers are removed so that water can flow freely. Residents are urged to stop dumping trash into rivers since doing so would result in legal action being taken against those who are found.
- According to Daily Post Nigeria, the Deputy Governor visited a number of places in and around Minna, including New Market, Tungan Maje, Chanchaga, Brighter Area, and Gbeganu. The Deputy Governor was given the assurance that the authorities would go to work right away by Architect Mohammed Bako Isma’il, Acting General Manager of the Urban Development Board, who also pointed out that all the listed structures were illegally constructed without a building authorization from the board.
- The Niger State Governor, Abubakar Sani Bello, has instructed the Ministry of Environment to work with relevant Ministries and the Kontagora Local Government Council to destroy any structures built on waterways in Kontagora, according to a separate report from Daily Post Nigeria. Bello issued the directive in September 2022 while paying a visit to the Kontagora flood victims to express his sympathies.
- On a technical level, he explained that they must find a means to widen the river and desilt it to allow for free flow of water during rainstorms. Even though many of them were offered compensation to leave, they refused. Therefore, we will simply proceed to demolish the homes near the water.
- In addition, 237 persons were reportedly affected by the flood, and two fatalities were reported in Kontagora, according to the story. Bello made an on-site evaluation in Hayin Hakimi, one of the six settlements decimated by the flood calamity.