Octogenarian, others die in Sokoto windstorm
Awindstorm that destroyed 70 houses in eight communities in Kambama, Shagari Local Government Area of Sokoto State, also claimed three lives. Those who died include 82-year-old Malama Fatima; 45-year-old housewife Hauwau, popularly known as Damme, and five-year-old Bello. All the deceased were trapped inside collapsed structures at their respective residences following the havoc wrecked by the windstorm.
Aliyu Danda, grandson of the late Fatima, said the storm started on Sunday 14th May at about 10pm.
“When the wind began, all of us, including our grandmother, went into our rooms. After some time, we heard a loud noise from a collapsed structure and she was trapped. We pulled her out but due to old age, she could not survive the impact,” he recounted.
In the case of Hauwau, her husband, Makau Sarkin Aski of Gidan Hassan, explained: “When the storm started, I hurried my three children inside as we were all sitting outside the house. Five of us - my wife, the children and I, took shelter in a room. We sat his son as a good boy. “I was the one who woke him up that day when I heard people shouting and calling out for help; he did not hesitate and hurriedly went to the house, unknown to us that his death was near.
“I was told that my son hugged his friend who was in flames in an attempt to stop the fire when he also caught fire. The boys where very brave; even though there were on fire, they managed to pull themselves out of the house and were rushed to nearby Bida Hospital.
“They were later transferred to St. Gerald’s Hospital where they later died. My son was the first to die on Friday, May 19th, 2017; two died three days later and the other two died on Tuesday. The state governor, Malam Nasiru El-Rufai, who visited them in the hospital, promised to foot their bills because we were spending between N50, 000 and N60, 000 daily on their treatment.
Sahura, the wife of Mustapha - the only married man among the deceased, could not hide her grief. Though in the midst down in silence as the storm shook the entire roof, trying to blow it off. We prayed to Allah for protection. Then after a lot of shaking and noise, the whole roof was blown away leaving us in the open while the storm continued,” he recalled.
The bereaved husband continued: “After sometime, the wall carved in, burying my wife and three children while I stood confused and uncertain of what to do next.
“Later, I summoned courage and started pulling my wife out of of family members, the heavily pregnant woman called on government to look into their plight and help them. “My husband was the bread winner of the family, I do not work and I have a two-year-old daughter to take care of. The government should also look into the facilities at the state fire the rubbles. My son came in and we tried to pull her out but could not. My son went to call our neighbours who later pulled her out lifeless.”
For Ladan Aliyu, his five-yearold grandson Bello was playing with other children behind their house, a day after the storm, when a wall collapsed on him.
“All efforts to save the child proved abortive as he was lifeless by the time he was pulled out of the ruins,” he disclosed.
According to the grandfather, the late Bello was loved by service in order to help save more lives and property.”
The victims of the theft are no more grieving over their stolen property but over the lives of their beloved neighbours who died while trying to save their lives and property. neighbours because he was a very jovial child who loved the company of other children.
At the time of our correspondent’s visit to the area, those affected by the windstorm were seen working round the clock to put their damaged structures in place.
Councillor representing Kambama Ward, Alhaji Sanusi Mohammed, said the council’s Vice Chairman had paid a visit to the area to commiserate with the victims of the storm and condoled with the families of the deceased.
According to the Councillor, 70 houses were destroyed by the storm in Kambama, Gidan Hosseini, Rinaye, Gwargawo, Gidan Bisa Tudun, Sullubuwa and Tajaye communities. He called for government’s support for the victims to cushion the effect of the disaster.
Some of the villagers lamented the lack of trees in the area to protect them from such calamity.
“We are living in an area without trees and our houses far from one another. We are vulnerable to such calamities since we don’t live close to one another like other settlements,” one of the villagers Nasiru bemoaned.
The Sarkin Kudun Kambama, Alhaji Mode Shugaba, described the calamity as an act from Allah and prayed against recurrence. He urged the state and local governments to come to the aid of those affected so that they repair their houses before the rainy season commences.
Head, Sokoto Zonal Operations Office, National Emergency Management Agency NEMA, Sulaiman Muhammad, said the agency has assessed the extent of damage caused by the disaster and that arrangements were being made to donate relief materials to the victims.