Metro

Floods Kill At Least 49, Displace 41,344 In Nigeria

Published

10 months ago

August 27, 2024

Photo: File copy

At least 49 people have been killed and thousands displaced in Nigeria after heavy rains caused flooding in the northeast of the country, the National Emergency Management Authority (NEMA), said on Monday.

Three states in the northeast, Jigawa, Adamawa and Taraba, have been hit hard by floods, with 41,344 people displaced, said NEMA spokesperson Manzo Ezekiel.

In 2022, Nigeria experienced its worst flood in more than a decade which killed more than 600 people, displaced around 1.4 million and destroyed 440,000 hectares of farmland.

“We are just entering into the peak of the season, particularly in the northern part of the country and the situation is very dire,” Ezekiel told Reuters.

The floods have also destroyed farmlands affecting around 693 hectares of agricultural land. Nigeria is battling double-digit inflation which has been stoked by high food prices.

Heavy rains have added to problems in the farming sector where farmers are deserting their farms in the northeast due to repeated attacks by militants.

The government in this year’s flood outlook said 31 of the country’s 36 states were at risk of experiencing “high flood”.

“We also have information about the high tide in the upper countries of the River Niger before Nigeria. All of these are flowing towards Nigeria. We are beginning to see a manifestation of our predictions,” Ezekiel said.

The agency had in July warned of major floods in certain Local Government Areas of Rivers State.

Making this known in Port Harcourt during a workshop tagged ‘Downscaling of flood early warning strategies for early actions’, the director in charge of risk reduction at NEMA, Godwin Tepikor, had canvassed support from the Local Government authorities to mitigate the effects of the flood.

On his part, the Zonal director of the Agency, Babatunde Adebiyi, said that 13 local government areas have been identified, and the agency was working to prepare them for the coming flood.

Some of the high-risk LGAs identified include Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni, Degema, and Ahoada East and West among others.

The agency had also predicted that eight local government areas of Zamfara State would be affected by moderate flooding in the 2024 rainy season.

The agency’s Director-General in Zamfara, Zubaida Umar, who disclosed this listed the eight LGAs to include Bugundu, Gummi, Gusau, Bakura, Maradun Talata Mafara, Shinkafi, and Zurmi.

The Nigerian Hyrodological Services Agency (NIHSA) in the year 2024 Annual Flood Outlook, predicted that 31 states with 148 local government areas are to be within the high flood risk areas, while 35 states including FCT with 249 LGAs are considered to fall within the moderate flood risk areas, and the remaining 377 LGAs are forecasted for the low flood risk areas.

Metro

Man Seeks End Of 16 Years Wedlock For Lack Of Love

Published

1 hour ago

July 5, 2025

Editor

A man, Saheed Busari of Offa Garage Area, Ilorin, Kwara State, has urged a Sharia Court to dissolve his 16-year-old marriage to his wife, Mariam.

Saheed told the court that he was tired of their marriage due to lack of love and affection.

According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Mariam, however, told the court that she was still interested in their marriage, saying, “I love my husband and I cannot leave him.

“He is the father of my two children and I don’t want to leave him”.

The presiding judge, Mr Toyin Aluko, advised Mariam to make effort towards reconciliation by seeking assistance from reliable stakeholders.

The case was adjourned until June 24, for hearing.
(NAN)

Metro

My Wife Goes Clubbing At Will, Cares Less That She’s Childless, Man Tells Court

Published

2 hours ago

July 5, 2025

Editor

A man, Olutade, has dragged his wife, Michelle before a Grade A Customary Court, Mapo, Ibadan, Oyo State, seeking that their union be dissolved on the grounds of irresponsibility, constant clubbing and drunkenness.

Olutade stated that the greatest mistake he ever made in life was that of getting married to Michelle. According to Olutade, Michelle’s lifestyle was far from that of a virtuous woman.

He told the court that his wife lacked the ability to run a smooth home.

Olutade explained that Michelle cared less about his well-being and failed to give him the needed attention.

He added that she displayed no concern that she is yet to bear a child and that she is ageing by the day.

The plaintiff said that the only thing his wife found appealing was clubbing.

Olutade stated that Michelle would abandon him at home, go clubbing, and would return home in the deep of the night drunk.

The plaintiff stated that his marriage to the defendant had brought him nothing but shame.

He therefore prayed for the dissolution of their union.

Michelle refused to make an appearance in court despite being served court summonses. Olutade, in his evidence, said: “I met and married my wife in Lagos. Her family members demanded for N25,000 as her bride price, which I gladly paid.

“I realised that I made a big mistake venturing into marriage with my wife a few weeks after we tied nuptial knot. Michelle is irresponsible and lacks the ability to run a home successfully.

“Our home always looks untidy and unwelcoming because my wife turns the place upside down.

“She also fails to attend to my well-being. I do not feed and live well due to her absence from home almost all the time. My wife prefers to be in the company of her friends who are morally bankrupt than stay at home with me.

“We have been married for some years, but we are without children. Michelle cares less that she is barren and ageing. All that she is interested in is clubbing. She always returns home in the middle of the night, dead drunk.

“The more I complained, the worse she became. She has made me a laughing stock in our neighbourhood. My lord, I can no longer tolerate my wife’s misbehaviour.

“All I pray for is divorce.”

The court president, Mrs. S.M Akintayo, adjourned the case for judgment.
(TRIBUNE)

Metro

I Ran For My Dear Life After My Wife Threatened To Bathe Me With Acid — Husband

Published

2 hours ago

July 5, 2025

Editor

…He insisted I go out covered from head to toe —Wife

Grade A Customary Court, Mapo, Ibadan, Oyo State, has adjourned a divorce case brought before it by a man, Alabi, against his wife, Aishat, whom he accused of stubbornness and verbal abuse. Alabi told the court in her testament that Aishat never listened to his counsel and that she flouted his orders at will.

The plaintiff added that the defendant had a caustic tongue, and never ceased to abuse and rain curses on him.

Alabi further said that he left home after Aishat threatened to pour acid on him.

Alabi told the court that his life was not safe with his wife under the same roof as him.

He, therefore, prayed the court to end their relationship and grant him custody of the only child produced by their union.

Aishat denied all the allegations brought against her but agreed that the court put an end to their relationship.

She told the court that her husband ordered her to start covering herself from head to toe when going out.

The defendant also refused that the plaintiff had custody of their child.

Alabi, in his testimony, said, “My lord, I no longer want to be married to my wife. I pray this court to declare that we go our different ways.

“Aishat was as gentle as a dove when we met, but she became uncontrollable after she moved in with me. I paid her bride price, although we did not hold any wedding ceremony.

“Aishat became unruly; she started misbehaving shortly after we started living together. She held no respect for me and flouted my orders at will.

“My wife always challenged my authority in the home and was always ready to fight me whenever I rebuked her.

“Aishat has a caustic tongue and always abuses me verbally. She was also fond of raining curses on me.

“We once had a disagreement and my wife to my chagrin threatened to pour acid on me.

“I left home seeing that my life was no longer safe with her.

“I plead for our children’s custody. I am ready to bear the responsibility of their upkeep.

“I, in addition, request an order restraining her from threatening and interfering with my private life.”

Aishat in her response said: “I have had enough of your atrocities, and I am ready to quit.

“He impregnated me shortly after we met, and I started living with him.

“He lied that he paid my bride price. We never held a wedding ceremony; neither did we involve our parents in our affair.

“He started showing his real self after we started living together. He became domineering and always wanted to have his way.

“He never listened to me and always refused that I express myself. He would fight me if I did anything contrary to his will even when it was obvious that I was right.

“My husband insisted that I cover myself from head to toe when going out, a condition which did not go down well with me. I tried to make him see reason but he failed to.

“He had since abandoned me and our children and refused to be responsible for our upkeep. “My lord, I refuse that he has custody of our children.

“I pray that our children be handed over to me because I have been the one feeding and training them in school since he abandoned us.

“I carry out these responsibilities from the proceeds of my business.”

The court president, Mrs. S.M Akintayo, after she has heard both parties adjourned the case for judgment.
(TRIBUNE)