Emir Of Gombe Rallies Support For Flood Victims

SAN FRANCISCO, September 10, (THEWILL) - The Emir of Gombe, Alhaji Abubakar Shehu Abubakar III, Wednesday called on Government and well-meaning individuals as well as organisations to come to the aid of victims of last weekend's flood in the state capital.

The flood which ravaged the entire metropolis had claimed no fewer than six lives and destroyed property worth millions of naira. The flood was caused by a heavy rainfall which lasted for almost two hours, Friday afternoon.

The Secretary of the state Emergency Management Agency, Dr. Danlami Arabs Rukujei, said the flood claimed six lives and destroyed about 100 buildings rendering their occupants homeless. The flood also washed away some shops at the Gombe Main Market as well as foodstuff, clothing and household items in many of the affected the houses.

The Emir called for urgent support for the victims while visiting the areas ravaged by the flood to sympathise with the victims.

The monarch, who was accompanied on the exercise by many traditional title holders of the Emirate, called on people of the state to pray against a reoccurrence of the flood.

He also called on Government to provide urgent assistance to the victims as he warned against acts that could blocking the drainage and water ways , thereby obstructing the free flow of water.

Speaking through the Yerimah Gombe, Alhaji Abdulkadir Abubakar, the Emir urged residents to cultivate the habit of clearing their gutters, saying 'water will always find a way to move on if its course is blocked.'

According to the Emir, 'God is the ultimate and we cannot question Him. All we have to do is to pray that a thing like this should not happen again. But on our part, we should stop building structures and dumping refuse on water ways.'