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Fresh fears of food crisis as floods sweep states, submerge farmlands
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Severe flooding across the states has continued to ravage farmland and submerge buildings with farmers saying the signs are ominous for food production.
The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) confirmed last week that the flooding has already claimed 185 lives and displaced 208,000 people in 28 states across the country.
About 107,000 hectares of farmland have been washed away, much of it in the north.
Hundreds of private and public buildings and infrastructure were submerged.
Reports from different parts of the country yesterday showed that floods resulting from persistent rainfall in Yobe,Niger,Zamfara,Gombe and Benue States,among others ,in the last few days have submerged more farmlands ,roads , and properties both private and public.
Taraba State, which is often flooded at this time of the year when Cameroun’s Lagdo Dam is opened to release its excess water,has put in place a flood control team across all its 168 wards.
The various state emergency management agencies and NEMA are also mobilising human and material resources to deal with the situation.
Most hit by the floods in Niger State are Mashegu and Magama local government areas where thousands of farmlands planted with rice, maize, yam, sorghum and millet have been devastated.
Farmers in the areas now lament that they have practically nothing to harvest later in the year.
Usman Danjuma, an Agricultural Economist in Minna, said the flooding could worsen the current cost of living as the prices of food might go up.
Farmers in Logo, Guma, Gwer-West,Agatu,Kwande, Makurdi ,Ado, Okpokwu, Otukpo,Buruku and Katsina Ala local government areas of Benue State have also suffered huge losses caused by the flooding.
The affected farms are located along the banks of the Benue River which usually overflows its banks at this time of the year.
The State Emergency Management Agency ( SEMA) has embarked on an awareness campaign to educate farmers on the prediction by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) of more rains this year.
Professor of Agronomy at J.S Tarka University, Makurdi, Daniel Agenda, called for the dredging of River Benue to enable it to absorb more flood water, saying this would go a long way in saving farms along the banks of the river from incessant flooding.
Over 3,000 displaced from Kaduna agrarian communities
Executive Secretary of the Kaduna State Emergency Management Agency, Dr. Usman Hayatu-Mazadu, said in Kaduna that 3,633 people have been displaced by floods in five agrarian communities in Zango Kataf Local Government Area.
The North-West Zonal Coordinator of NEMA Imam Garki said the recent flooding in Fadan Tsoho, Zonzon, Zangon Kataf, Unguwan Wakili, and Zonkwa communities swept away farmlands and livestock.
An Agricultural Economist in the state , Mr Benjamin Kemje, asked government to assist farmers to recoup their losses, otherwise, they would increase food prices to make up for their losses.
Jigawa and Zamfara states have also been badly hit by the flooding.
Incidentally, many of the northern states are considered Nigeria’s food basket.
Last Friday’s rainfall in Zamfara seems to have only added to an already bad situation.
Like the earlier ones, the last rain left many parts of the state submerged and the residents helpless.
Many houses in Samaru area of Gusau and Gengerin Maigemu were taken over by flood.
Flood destroyed 1,650 houses in 2 towns in Yobe, says SEMA
Floods triggered by days of torrential rain, destroyed 1,650 houses in Jajere and Yunusari towns of Yobe,according to the Executive Secretary of the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Dr Mohammed Goje.
Goje told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Damaturu that a total of 413 households in the areas were displaced by the latest flash flood.
Goje said that a final assessment on the destruction caused by yet another flood in Yusufari, Wagir, Mutai Chirokusko, Bade and Potiskum towns was ongoing.
“ SEMA is conducting daily review meetings to assess the situation, update stakeholders and come up with immediate response plan in line with vulnerabilities of affected locations and resources available on ground,” he said.
Flood destroys 2517 houses,1000 hectares of farmland in Gombe – SEMA
The flood was equally devastating in Gombe State where the SEMA said 2,517 houses and shops were either completely or partially destroyed in 33 communities.
The Deputy Director, Relief and Rehabilitation of the agency, Mr Ibrahim Nalado, named the affected communities as Dukku, Funakaye and Billiri Local Government Areas (LGA) of the state.
On the impact of flooding on farmlands, the deputy director said Hina community in Yamaltu/Deba LGA of the state was the worst-hit.
He said that no less than 1,000 hectares of rice, maize, sorghum and millet farmlands were submerged in water.
The deputy director stated that his team visited Hina community on Friday, Aug. 30, to assess the level of damage.
Nalado described the impact of the flooding as ‘huge and devastating’ in view of the vast area affected.
“Farmers were getting ready to harvest their crops.
“The farmers were so worried but because it was a natural phenomenon, they accepted it in good faith,” he said.
The deputy director stated that data on the number of farmers affected by the flood were being collated at Hina.
Nalado stated that his agency had assessed the level of damage, but were compiling the reports to forward to the state government and other relevant agencies.
He, however, said that the level of damage on farmlands at Hina, would take collective efforts of both the state and the Federal Government to address.
The Bauchi State Police Command has arrested a 70-year-old man, Usman Abubakar, over the alleged defilement of an eight-year-old girl in the Tsakanin Bayara area of Bauchi metropolis.
According to a statement issued by the Command’s Police Public Relations Officer, Superintendent of Police (SP) Nafiu Habib, the suspect was arrested following a complaint lodged at the ‘E’ Division, Yelwa, by the victim’s 48-year-old father on Wednesday, August 26, 2026.
According to the police, the father alleged that the suspect, who resides in the same area, lured his daughter to an uncompleted building on Sunday, August 24, where he allegedly sexually assaulted her.
The Command said its operatives immediately commenced action after receiving the report and arrested the suspect.
The police further stated that the suspect allegedly confessed to the offence during interrogation.
Following the incident, the victim was taken to the Police Clinic for medical examination and necessary care.
The Commissioner of Police, CP Sani-Omolori Aliyu, condemned the alleged offence and assured members of the public that the matter would be thoroughly investigated.
The case has been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Bauchi, for discreet investigation and prosecution, according to the Command.
The police reiterated their zero tolerance for sexual violence and child abuse, while urging parents, guardians and members of the public to remain vigilant and report suspicious activities to the nearest police station.
Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has expressed sympathy with traders and business owners affected by the fire that gutted Eda Plaza in Jabi, Abuja, on Sunday.
Obi, in a statement posted on his X handle on Sunday, said the incident highlighted the need to strengthen Nigeria’s emergency-response systems, particularly the capacity of fire services.
A fire outbreak destroyed shops and goods reportedly worth millions of naira at the plaza, a building materials market opposite Chida Hotel in Jabi.
An eyewitness told the Nigerian Television Authority that the alarm was raised around 3am after a trader received a distress call about the fire.
The eyewitness said the fire destroyed one of his brother-in-law’s two shops and a packing store, with roofing materials worth more than N20m reportedly lost in the blaze.
There were no reported casualties.
Reacting to the incident, Obi said his “heart goes out to the traders, artisans, workers, families and business owners whose goods, investments and livelihoods may have been affected by this unfortunate incident.”
He noted that the losses suffered by the traders represented more than merchandise, noting that they included years of savings, borrowing and sacrifice.
“As a country, we cannot continue to lose businesses and livelihoods repeatedly to preventable disasters. Each time this happens, we gradually lose our productive capacity,” he said.
The former Anambra State governor said small businesses were “the backbone of our economy” and that losses suffered by traders could affect their families, workers and communities.
Obi urged authorities to strengthen emergency-response systems, particularly by ensuring that fire services were properly equipped and adequately staffed.
“As we grieve what has happened at Jabi Market, let us not wait for another market to burn before we act. Let this tragedy become a reason to strengthen our emergency-response systems, especially by ensuring that our fire service is properly equipped, adequately staffed and capable of responding swiftly to emergencies.”
“We must protect our small businesses and ensure that Abuja, and indeed Nigeria, becomes a safer place to live, work and invest,” he added.
Obi also prayed for those affected by the incident and emergency responders.
“May God comfort every person affected by this disaster, restore the livelihoods that have been lost, and grant our emergency responders the strength and wisdom required at this difficult moment,” he said.
Many filling stations across the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have jerked up the pump price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), popularly known as petrol.
The development came in spite of a decline in international crude oil prices from 92 dollars barrel to 87.31 dollars per barrel.
Brent crude stood at 88.10 dollars per barrel, down 0.47 per cent, while West Texas Intermediate (WTI) fell 0.16 per cent to 83.40 dollars per barrel.
Dangote Refinery increased its gantry price (ex-depot price) from N1,165 per litre to N1,185, and subsequently to N1,200 and N1,265 within the last one week.
The latest adjustment represents a N65 per litre increase from the previous gantry price of N1,200.
The increase has been reflected in pump prices across the FCT.
Checks by NAN on Sunday in Abuja showed that several filling stations had adjusted their petrol prices upward, with motorists paying more for the product.
NAN observed that AY Shafa increased its pump price from N1,250 to N1,270 per litre, while Optima retail outlet raised its price from N1,260 to N1,300 per litre.
Also, NNPC adjusted its price from N1,250 to N1,270 per litre.
An economist, Samson Ogunjimi, expressed concern over the growing financial pressure on livelihoods caused by soaring fuel prices.
He said the situation was unbearable and many people were struggling to cope with the ripple effects on their livelihoods.
Ogunjimi called on the Federal Government to urgently intervene by stabilising fuel prices to ease the economic burden on Nigerians.
The National Publicity Secretary of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), Chinedu Ukadike, said marketers reviewed their pump prices following a series of adjustments by Dangote refinery.
Ukadike said marketers could not continue to sell petrol below the replacement cost.
He said the frequent price changes were creating uncertainty for both marketers and consumers, as the cost of replacing products could change significantly within a short period.(NAN)
70-year-old granpa nabbed for sexual assault of 8-year-old girl in Bauchi
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