Kebbi State Government on Tuesday confirmed the death of a soldier and nine others in series of floods across the state in the last one week.
A statement by Abubakar Dakingari, Chief Press Secretary to Gov. Atiku Bagudu issued in Birnin Kebbi, said the flood occurred in two local government areas of the state.
He listed the communities affected as Kanya village in Danko Wasagu local Government and Mahuta in Fakai Local Government Areas.
“A soldier and nine other people were killed by heavy flood as a result of incessant rainfall in the state; the soldier was said to have died while trying to rescue a woman from the flood.’’
Dakingari said although the body of the woman was recovered, that of the soldier had been washed away, but effort was on to recover the corpse.
He added that the remains of five victims were recovered at Kanya and three in Mahuta.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Gov. Bagudu had earlier visited the areas to commiserate with the victims.
At Kanya, the village Head, Alhaji Isah Dan Hassan, told the governor that many houses, livestock and farmlands were destroyed by the flood.
He urged government to construct emergency bridge and provide canoes for the immediate evacuation of residents to safer areas.
During the visit, Bagudu also made a stop over at Waje bridge, where a young man was reported to have jumped to his death.
At Fakai, Chairman of the local government, Musa Jarma, said 48 houses and a bridge linking the town to other parts of the state were destroyed.(NAN)