From Salisu Zakari Maradun, Gusau
Following the calamity that befell Gummi town, the headquarters of Gummi Local Government of Zamfara state which also led to the death of over 20 people as well as collapse of over 2000 houses, prominent personalities have continued to troop into the town to condole and sympathize with the people of the area over the death and loss they encountered.
It could be recalled that about three days ago, heavy downpour resulted into heavy flood which destroyed over 2000 houses and trapped over 20 to death.
The downpour which lasted for many hours also washed away all the farm products in the area including a large number of domestic animals and shops.
Other destructions caused by the dangerous rain included all roadside erected kiosks, submerging of all culverts connecting one area to another as well as a number of economic trees.
The victims who could not hide their disappointment over the refusal of the governor of the state, Saida Lawan to visit the area to sympathize with them over the tragedy could be seen at different locations in groups receiving condolences from the prominent personalities across the nation, while many were only shading tears as they could not even respond to the sympathisers due to the pains of losing their loved ones.
Prominent personalities whose number could not be counted were mostly from the neighbouring sokoto and Kebbi states while from Zamfara although most of them are at the time of filling this report yet to arrive but sent their delegation and donations to the victims which included cash and food items.
Former governor of the state, who is now a senator of the federal republic of Nigeria, senator Abdulaziz Yari stormed the town on the second day of the incident even as he had earlier sent a delegation to ascertain the level of damage caused by the torrential rain with a view to assisting them.
Senator yari subsequently ordered for the building of all the over 2000 collapsed houses with immediate effect in addition to thousands of tones of assorted different grains to cushion their difficulties.
Our correspondent who painstakingly arrived Gummi to see things for himself, discovered that the town was turned to a place where war took place.
“We are ruined, we are destroyed”, lamented one of the victims, Alh. Sani Musan Tara , a father of 12 who also lost all his three houses to the flood.
Alhaji Sani who also expressed his sadness over the vehement refusal of the governor of the state to pay a sympathy and condolence visit to them, explained that it was unfortunate that governor, who was loved by the entire people of the area during his campaign could not have the time for the people of Gummi which is the second largest town in the state after, Gusau.
In this town, more than 20 people died apart from the destruction of our houses and the loss of property worth billions of naira and up to now we have not seen the governor who went to Kaura Namoda two days after the disastrous water to condole with the people there.
The Authority also learnt that many victims of the calamity of Gummi have taken refuge at different houses in the neighbouring villages close to it pending the time their houses were put in order by senator Yari
