Defence Minister Mohammed Badaru has donated ₦20 million to support victims of the recent floods in Jigawa State.
The minister made the donation on Saturday during a visit to the state governor, Umar Namadi, where he expressed sympathy to the state government and families who lost loved ones to the disaster.
According to Badaru, the floods impacted 148 communities across 14 local government areas, affecting approximately 50,000 people and over 11,500 households. “More than 148 communities were affected,” Badaru stated. “Around 7,500 households and over 50,000 people were impacted, with 11,500 farmlands damaged, and 33 lives lost.” He added that the donation was his personal contribution to ease the victims’ suffering and urged both the governor and the affected individuals to view the disaster as a test from Almighty Allah while taking preventive measures to reduce future damage.
Governor Namadi expressed gratitude for the minister’s visit and his generous contribution despite his demanding schedule in Abuja. “You still made the time to be here personally, not only to console us but also to donate ₦20 million. May Allah bless you,” Namadi said. He acknowledged the situation as a collective challenge.
Worst Deluge on Record
Jigawa, like other states in Nigeria’s agricultural belt, experiences flooding annually, but this year’s deluge has been the worst, according to the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA). SEMA Director Yusuf Sani reported that 50 deaths have been recorded across 27 local government areas, with the last few days being especially challenging due to three consecutive days of heavy rainfall.
The Kafin Hausa district has been particularly hard-hit, with 10 fatalities, 68 people hospitalized, and 1,436 displaced—most from Balangu village, where 237 homes were destroyed. Sani noted that emergency workers are assessing the number of displaced individuals, which he estimates to be in the thousands. Eleven temporary shelters have been established for the displaced, including in schools currently on holiday.
One resident, Aminu Ibrahim, whose home in the Kirikasamma district was lost to the floods, is now living with relatives in a primary school, alongside 12 other displaced families. Emergency officials are worried that conditions may worsen, as more torrential rains are expected in the coming days.
Authorities are also preparing for the imminent release of water from the Komadugu River to prevent its banks from overflowing. “We have urged all residents along the riverbanks to evacuate immediately, as the water release could happen at any moment,” Sani warned.
Local official Hamza Muhammad pointed out that the annual overflow of the Tiga and Challawa rivers in neighboring Kano State worsens flooding in Jigawa. He attributed the severe flooding to a combination of unusually heavy rainfall, likely driven by climate change, inadequate drainage systems, clogged river canals, and illegal constructions on waterways.
In 2020, floods in Jigawa killed at least 40 people and destroyed over 100,000 hectares of crops. The recent flooding in early August, following two days of heavy rain, left three people dead and nearly 500 displaced in the Ajingi district.