Flood beyond borders

•How deluge swept through Nigeria-Benin Republic highway

From Olanrewaju Lawal, Birnin Kebbi

This year’s rainy season is not looking good in Kebbi State. The situation is bad for residents and farmers but the worst-hit are cross-border transporters and passengers. The highway leading to Benin Republic is in a deplorable shape and villages like Fana, Kangiwa and Tili, situated on the side of the highway are increasingly becoming impassable due to flooding.

Three days ago, the downpour recorded on this route compounded the already bad situation. It triggered a flood, which filled River Raihim and caused it to rise above its banks, apart from other havocs. Communities and towns around the affected rivers, such as Dandi, Augie, Bunza, Maiyawa, Birnin Kebbi as well as Argungu were left with tears, submerged houses and destroyed farmlands, while bridges linking them to the capital of the state and nearby settlements were totally destroyed.

At Fana village, trucks and vehicles used to convey goods were trapped on the collapsed bridge, while villagers counted their losses. A driver attached to trailer from Benin Republic, Serika Patiki, disclosed that he and his boys were stranded for more than one week: “Our trailer was trapped by the mud of the collapsed bridge.

“We arrived here in the night, not knowing that the bridge had already collapsed. We were conveying goods from Benin Republic to Samia. We lost about 4.3 million CFA (their local currency) for a trip. For more than one week, we lost a huge amount of money.”

Another driver from Togo, whose company’s truck was also trapped inside the river, Womene Kwami, said: “The river damaged the bridge due to heavy rain. We didn’t know that the bridge had collapsed when we drove into it.

“I informed my company immediately in Niami about the incident. We have lost a lot. The truck used to fetch us not less than 6 million CFA within two days.”

Yahyah Muniru, a truck driver from Benin Republic: “We suffered a lot while trying to get these trucks out of the river. Our efforts were unsuccessful, and we lost a lot of money. We are appealing to the relevant authorities to help us out of this problem.”

This is not the only headache for the cross-border truck drivers and their passengers. There is more to come from the famished road. The drivers were advised to wait for three days to allow the flood and river recede before resuming their trip through the muddy highway. And that is assuming that there would be no more rain in between the break.

Danjuma Kangiwa is a commercial driver on the route: “The three nights of heavy rain destroyed the Makera-Kangiwa bridge and prevented many travellers from linking up with the state capital. We slept on the highway and were treated to a harsh weather condition.”

Mustapha Aliyu plies Kangiwa-Birnin Kebbi Road: “I was on the river with my passengers for two days to allow the flood to ease before crossing through the mud.”

At Bunza-Zogurma-Tili-Kuka and Makera roads, the flood damaged the bridges linking the villages and parts of the fence of the Nigerian Correctional Centre.

Commissioner for Information and chair of the assessment committee on the flood, Yakubu Ahmed Birnin Kebbi, said: “The implications are dire. What we are facing currently in Kebbi State is that we have various bridges, which are critical to the state, being washed away.

“We have seen the situation across the state where bridges have been completely cut off. Communities relating with one another have been separated by the flood. There is a risk of our farmers not being able to transport their harvests to their homes and markets.

“We also fear the implications of famine because Kebbi State is critical to the food security of this country, especially in the area of rice production and other crops. And when you have roads and bridges washed away, the implications are very and certainly serious.

“State government will come to the assistance of the people of the areas affected by the flood to cushion the adverse effects on their livelihoods.”

Vice-chairman, Dandi Local Government, Bala Isa, commended the government for promptly sending bags of rice and N50 million to the victims of the flood. The District Head, Muhammad Abubakar Fana, also appreciated the government.