As the rain continues to fall heavily in the country, many communities, especially the riverbank areas, continue to suffer from flooding, landslides, and other environmental disasters.
In Kaduna, farmers lament heavy losses as the flooding washes away their crops while consuming the remains of several corpses at the Bashama Road Cemetery.
However, no fewer than 200 residents of the Tudun Wada community in Kaduna South Local Government Area fled their houses to become environmental migrants.
It will be recalled that the Kaduna State Environmental Protection Authority (KEPA) had issued several warnings to residents to desist from the illegal dumping of waste, blocking waterways, and vacating riverbank areas amid fear of flooding.
While speaking to Daily Episode, Muhammad Ndagana, a 70-year-old man who is also a victim of the flooding, recounts his experience. According to him, the flooding has caused him so much damage that he and his family are now displaced, a situation that forced them to scout around.
We have been experiencing constant flooding for about seven years, and the governments have repeatedly promised to widen the River Kaduna, but we are yet to know the reason for their delay.
Now many of our belongings have been damaged while both my four wives and children are forced to live in different places; hence, I cannot afford to rent or build another house. He added
Also, Shafi Ya’u, a farmer whose crops were washed away by the flooding, lamented that the indiscriminate waste disposal in the drainage and illegal blocking of waterways amidst heavy downpours in the country contribute to their suffering
Thus, we only depend on farming as a means of living to care for our family and provide for basic needs, but this time around, this burden is unbearable as we may be pushed to plead for support from either governments or relevant bodies that may be of help.
However, Nigerians must abstain from illegal waste disposal, especially at the riverbanks and drainage, which usually come with hazardous chemicals that are harmful to humans and crops. He added
Furthermore, Engr. Ibrahim Aminu, the managing partner of Environmental Construction and Expression Limited, warns Kaduna residents about illegal waste dumping and advises them to use safer methods of disposing of their garbage.
