The inhabitants of Mabera in Sokoto South Local Government Area have been under constant fear of the rains for over a decade due to ravaging floods that have remained a permanent torment.
Daily Trust learnt that the nightmare has persisted due to lack of drains, compounded by blockage of waterways by land developers.
A commercial motorcyclist, Malam Dahiru Aliyu, hired by our reporter to take him to Mabera shortly after a heavy downpour, admitted that his “heart pounded” whenever Mabera was mentioned as a destination in view of the devastation from the floods that had become common feature.
The Village Head of Mabera, Umar Bello Magaji, described the situation as pathetic and horrible.
Magaji said, “I know so many people who cannot sleep in their houses today because they have been submerged.
“We are battling multiple problems, but the recurring flooding and mosquitoes are our major concern now.”
The Special Adviser to Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal on Sokoto Urban and Regional Deployment Planning, Sidi Lamido, while corroborating the assertions, said the problem was caused by land developers who indiscriminately built houses in the area.
The state’s Commissioner for Environment, Sagir Bafarawa, said the ministry had been working to minimise the plight of the inhabitants by evacuating blocked drains, adding that a World Bank programme (NEWMAP) would soon tackle the infrastructural deficit of the area.
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