At least seven people have been killed and 53 others injured after a windstorm swept through 13 local government areas (LGA) of Jigawa State, destroying homes, schools, hospitals and other public infrastructure.
The Executive Secretary of the Jigawa State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Hannafi Fagam, disclosed this on Wednesday during a briefing for journalists at the agency’s headquarters in Dutse.
Fagam said the disaster affected 5,403 households across 120 communities in Dutse, Miga, Gwaram, Birnin Kudu, Ringim, Kiyawa, Babura, Kiri-Kasamma, Buji, Kaugama, Gumel, Gagarawa and Sule-Tankarkar local government areas.
He said four of the deaths were recorded in Dutse LGA, while one person each died in Miga, Ringim and Sule-Tankarkar LGAs.
According to him, the windstorm also destroyed more than 47 primary and secondary schools, three hospitals, two police stations, residential buildings and other public facilities in the affected communities.
Fagam said the Jigawa State Government had approved funds for emergency intervention and relief for victims, adding that officials were still assessing the affected areas to determine the full extent of the damage.
He described the incident as a natural disaster with serious humanitarian and socio-economic consequences, noting that the agency was coordinating relief efforts with relevant stakeholders.
Fagam appealed to international development partners, humanitarian organizations, corporate bodies, and well-meaning individuals to support the state’s response by providing relief materials and other assistance to affected residents.
He assured residents that the agency would continue assessing impacted communities and ensure the prompt distribution of relief materials to victims.
