Peter Obi, former presidential candidate of the Labour Party, on Monday visited Niger State to commiserate with the government and people of the state over the recent devastating floods in the Mokwa area, which have claimed hundreds of lives and displaced thousands.
Obi, who was accompanied by Nenadi Usman, the
factional caretaker committee chair of the Labour Party, and Yunusa Tanko, his spokesperson, expressed deep sorrow over the scale of the disaster and called for national solidarity and urgent support from the federal government and other agencies.
“While in the UK yesterday, I had earlier called the governor, His Excellency, Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago, to express my heartfelt condolences,” Obi said in a statement following the visit.
He was received in Niger by Yakubu Garba, the state’s deputy governor, with whom he held discussions on the immediate needs of the affected communities.
“Over 200 lives have been lost, about 1,000 persons are still missing, more than 3,000 people have been displaced from their homes, and several homes destroyed,” Obi noted.
Describing the flood as a national tragedy, Obi urged collective responsibility in responding to such disasters.
“This incident and others happening all over Nigeria affect us all, and as a family, we must come together to care, comfort and stand together, especially in times of grief and difficulty,” he said.
He called on the federal government, relief agencies, and well-meaning Nigerians to rally around Niger State in this time of need.
“I hereby urge and appeal to the Federal Government, all support agencies, and well-meaning Nigerians to assist the good people of Niger State in ameliorating their suffering,” Obi said.
Commending the state government’s emergency response, Obi lauded the resilience of Governor Bago and local teams.
“I wish to commend the efforts of the Governor and the local response teams for their courage and resilience in the face of this overwhelming challenge,” he said.
As part of his support, Obi announced a N20 million donation to assist the victims. “I made an initial donation of N20 million to support the effort of the government and I will continue to support their effort,” he said.
“I pray that God comforts the families of those who have lost their loved ones, protects those still missing, and grants healing and strength to everyone affected by this disaster. May Niger State find peace and restoration.”
See photos from the visitation below:
