Tears As Rain Killed Popular Gombe Imam
of the valley where the kiosk was located and took Adamu away. She said her brother always returned home around 6pm before Magrib to break the fast with his friends, but on that fateful day he didn’t return, even after 9pm and they got worried.
“When he was not home after 8pm as he used to do, our mother became worried. About an hour later, someone brought the news to her that he was swept away by the flood,” Ladi said.
She said his cloths were recovered from the water, but his body was yet to be found. She, however, said the body of his friend was found at Difa, a village in Yamaltu Deba Local Government Area of the state, about 30 kilometres away from Gombe town.
The Executive Secretary, Gombe State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Mr Danlami Arabs Rukuje, who confirmed the incident, said residential buildings, household items, several livestock and other properties were also destroyed by the flood.
“We went out and inspected the places affected. We confirmed three deaths, including that of a prominent Islamic scholar. Also, 20 houses were badly affected in many parts of the metropolis.
“There are also unconfirmed reports of eight people who are said to be missing,” Rukuje said.
He wondered why people still build structures to block drainages constructed for free flow of water. He, therefore, called on residents to refrain from building on waterways.
Rukuje said that after compiling a report on the flood, his agency would forward their findings to the state government for further action in order to curb such disaster.