Jigawa not Bayelsa, worst hit by flood, says Humanitarian Affairs minister

The Federal Government has disclosed that Jigawa State is worst hit in terms of the number of deaths recorded during the devastating floods across the country.

Official statistics from the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development showed Jigawa as recording 91 deaths; Anambra, 77 and followed by Kogi State.

Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Hajiya Sadiya Umar Farouk, stated this on Thursday while featuring in the Ministerial Media Briefing organised by the Presidential Communications Team at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

The minister said Bayelsa was not among the first 10 states with the highest number of deaths in the country, contrary to perception in some quarters.

The statistics from the ministry showed the number of deaths recorded per state, number of people displaced, number of injuries, houses damaged, farmlands per hectares damaged as well as general population affected were some of the criteria used in the assessment.

In the 2022 flood data as of October 24, provided by the ministry, death toll in Jigawa stood at 91, Anambra 77 while in Kogi 471,991 persons were affected with zero death.

In all, 3,219,780 Nigerians were affected nationwide, while number of displaced persons stood at 1,427,370 persons and total deaths placed at 612.

Asked about the kind of assistance the federal Government would give Bayelsa State after former President Goodluck Jonathan had discussed with President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, the minister said her Ministry had intervened by taking relief materials to Bayelsa in collaboration with officials of the Nigerian Air Force.

On the assertion of the leader of the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), Chief Edwin Clark, that she was not being humane in handling the prevailing humanitarian crisis, Hajiya Sadiya said this is untrue.

She said flood disaster was a national issue, stressing that the ministry was carrying out its duty to the best of its ability.

“Bayelsa is not among the ten worst hit states; Jigawa is. Merely looking at me, you know that I am humane,” she said.

The minister also said there was an ongoing assessment of farmlands damaged by flood with a view to compensating affected farmers.