By Wole Mosadomi, Minna

Minna—Governor Muhammad Umaru Bago of Niger State has called on residents living in riverine areas across the state to immediately evacuate these vulnerable locations to prevent further loss of lives and property, following the recent devastating flood in Mokwa.

Returning from Saudi Arabia on Sunday, Governor Bago visited the flood-affected town and condemned the disaster, describing it as a calamity Niger State and the country at large cannot afford to witness again.

In a show of solidarity, the Governor donated N1 billion to support victims of the flood. He also instructed the State Ministry of Lands to allocate a large expanse of land and provide the necessary Certificates of Occupancy to the Federal Government for a proposed resettlement project aimed at assisting those displaced by the disaster.

During his visit to several flood-damaged areas in Mokwa, Governor Bago promised swift and adequate resettlement efforts for all directly and indirectly affected individuals.

“We will commence the construction of permanent drainage systems and bridges in Mokwa town to prevent future occurrences of such disasters,” he stated.

The Governor assured that all funds and materials donated by the Federal Government, private individuals, and donor agencies will be transparently utilized for their intended purposes.

He expressed gratitude to everyone who has contributed to aiding the victims and appealed to other Nigerians to continue supporting the relief efforts.

In addition, Governor Bago urged Islamic teachers in the region to maintain proper records of their pupils for better accountability during emergencies.

“Many Almajiri students were trapped in their settlements during the flood and are still unaccounted for,” he noted, emphasizing the need for proper documentation to safeguard vulnerable children in future crises.