Man loses seven children to Jos flood

Posted by admin Headlines, Plateau, State News Tuesday, July 24th, 2012

July 24, 2012 by Jude Owuamanam, Jos 31 Comments

Abdulramid Useni, a resident of Gangere in Jos North Local Government Area of Plateau State, who lost seven children to the flood, said he was yet to comprehend what happened to him.

“My world is finished. Where do I start from?” he asked our correspondent in an emotion laden voice.

Useni said they were sleeping when it happened.

He said, “All of us were sleeping. I, my wife and our 12 children were sleeping in the house when all of a sudden, there was this sudden surge of flood which took over our house. Before we could do anything, the house collapsed and the flood swept all of us away, including the house.

“I was able to survive because I clung to a pole. It was a matter of life and death as I was there until the flood subsided.”

Useni said he had found the bodies of six of his children while he was yet to locate one.

He said he and his wife and five other children survived to tell the story, adding that it was by the grace of God that his other children survived. Useni said he and the surviving members of his family were taking shelter in one of the displaced people’s camps in Rikkos.

Community Leader of Gangere, Gudu Usman-Ali, described the Sunday flood which killed no fewer than 38 people as a disaster. Mahmud told our correspondent in Jos that the flood was the worst the community had experienced in recent times.

He said the rain started at about 7.15pm and became heavier by 9.30pm when the floods overflowed the banks of River Rikkos.

Mahmud said, “We were in the mosque when the calamity started. The rain just started washing away houses and carrying people, some of whom were asleep.”

He said the floods overran three districts of Rikkos Tudun, Gangere and Angwan Rogo, adding that more than 20 people had been confirmed dead while scores of others were still missing. He called on the government to hasten rescue efforts and provide relief materials to displaced persons.

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