President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday, called for increased support from well-meaning Nigerians and organisations as 500,000 Nigerians have been affected by devastating floods in the last eight months.
According to a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, the President also pledged the Federal Government’s assistance to flood victims.
The statement was titled, “Over 500,000 Nigerians affected by floods as President Buhari pledges support to victims.”
According to Shehu, the President pledged that the Federal Government will continue to provide the needed emergency assistance to individuals and communities impacted by the disaster.
The statement read in part, “From reports made available to the Presidency by the relevant Federal Government Ministries, Departments, and Agencies, flooding has been reported in Lagos, Yobe, Borno, Taraba, Adamawa, Edo, Delta, Kogi, Niger, Plateau, Benue, Ebonyi, Anambra, Bauchi, Gombe, Kano, Jigawa, Zamfara, Kebbi, Sokoto, Imo, Abia States, and the Federal Capital Territory, affecting 508,721 people since January 2022.
“The destructive floods have also displaced 73,379 people, 115 casualties, and injured 277 people.
“The floods and heavy rain have left around 37, 633 houses destroyed or severely damaged.”
Buhari reiterated that the tragic events have accentuated the need for states and local governments to step up their level of preparedness in handling emergencies, which remains a shared responsibility with the government at the centre.
The President, therefore, urged inhabitants of flood-prone areas to always adhere to the early warning advisories as issued by the organisations saddled with climate monitoring and disaster management.
