Delta Governor Plans Forceful Evacuation Of Flood Victims As IDPs Rejects Camp In Delta

Delta state government said it would forcefully evacuate thousands of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), sacked by flood in Asaba, the state capital and environs over their refusal to quit their homes to safer ground.

This is coming on the backdrop of the affected persons rejecting the camp set up for the Internally Displaced Persons based on their past experiences in the 2012 flood saga.

Speaking at the IDP camp in Ogbe-Afor primary school, Wednesday in Asaba, Okowa, said that the government would continue to appeal to them, but when it is otherwise, they would forcefully be evacuated, “We will continue to monitor them on a daily bases, and if there is a need to evacuate them there, we will no longer appealing, we will move them forcefully”, the governor threatened.

He disclosed that he has gone around Oko communities, and all the homes in coastal community along the bank of the River Niger have been completely submerged by flood.

As at the time The Nigerian Voice visited, most of the submerged houses had been deserted by the occupants who were said to have mobilized wooden boats and tricycles to evacuate their properties.

Report said four lives have been confirmed lost in the areas since the flood ravaged these areas while church buildings have also gone under the water.

A resident and secretary of Power Line area who identified himself as Emmanuel Ukugbe, said that his people refused to come to IDP camp because of their past experience during 2012 flood disaster, disclosing that a 60 year old man dead two day ago in the area while trying to evacuate his family with a wooden boat.

He lamented that his children had not eaten for about 24 hours, adding that there was simply no place to set up fire for cooking, saying that his apartment has been submerged.

“When you came last week, the water was far away but this morning, look at the length it has covered. Nobody is in those buildings as we speak. My room is full of water”.

When The Nigerian Voice visited the IDP camp, only 15 displaced persons were registered in the camp as at 3:00pm, but medical team were on ground waiting for the flood victims to arrive.

Earlier, Chairman, Delta State Primary Health Care Development Agency (DSPHCDA), Dr. Isioma Okobah, urged the IDPs who were seemingly reluctant to accept the government's advice to relocate to the camp.

She said that when she visited the communities on Tuesday to appeal to them on the need to come to the IDP camp, they rejected it based on their past experiences, “Our team visited the people yesterday (Tuesday) to beg the people but they refused to come. They said that the past government maltreated them in 2012 flood disaster.

She disclosed that a health post would be set up at their base for those unwilling to relocate in order to immunize them against preventable diseases, “Your exposure and long stay in water may result in health challenges and catastrophe. You must have had experiences and suffered in the past but I want to assure you that our present governor Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa will not abandon you in this”.

“Please we advise you to move to the camp so that we can easily reach you for emergency medical care, nutrition services, among other benefits and welfare packages which you will enjoy in the camp. But for those of you who may not want to relocate to the camp, we shall set up a Health Post for you for vaccines and other health care services and immunization against preventable diseases”, Okobah stated.