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Olanrewaju Lawal, Birnin Kebbi
Kebbi State Governor Abubakar Atiku Bagudu has promised flood victims and farmers who have lost their livelihoods of government support.
Bagudu disclosed that arrangements are ongoing to commence dry season farming to augment the huge losses caused by the devastating flood disasters.
The Governor spoke in Birnin Kebbi on Saturday during a Stakeholders Meeting on the menace of flood and insecurity in some parts of Zuru Emirate.
Bagudu said that the 2020 floods and rainfall have greatly surpassed the earlier predictions by NIMET and other weather agencies.
According to the Governor, the unprecedented flood disasters had regrettably resulted in the massive loss of farmlands, houses and other infrastructure across the State.
Bagudu further noted that the rapid responses by the State and Federal Governments as well as their agencies had mitigated the negative impact of the rampaging flood disasters.
He also expressed gratitude with the assistance to the victims from well-meaning individuals like the wife of the President, Mrs Aisha Buhari, and business mogul, Abdussamad Isyaku Rabiu, among others.
On insecurity, Bagudu regretted that Kebbi was witnessing some pockets of threats against lives and properties of innocent citizens, especially in Zuru Emirate.
He said that indigenes of the State who were hitherto engaged in farming activities in parts of Dansadau area, Zamfara State, had returned to the State, mostly to Zuru Emirate.
Bagudu lamented that ‘they came back with tales of woes and this ugly situation led to the springing up of self-help security groups, ‘Yan Sakai’, apparently for self-defence or revenge.
‘This obnoxious situation aggravated the security situation. For instance, recently, the District Head of Bajida was brutally murdered.
‘Also, just yesterday when a meeting was going on to select his replacement, a group of Yan Sakai stormed the meeting, uninvited and threatened to kill everybody if their nominee was not selected.’
The town hall stakeholders meeting was attended by the Emir of Argungu, Alhaji Samaila Muhammadu Mera, the Wazirin Gwandu, Alhaji Abdullahi Umar who represented the Emir of Gwandu, representatives of Emirs of Yauri and Zuru, District Heads and religious leaders.
