Tunde Omolehin in Gidan-Magana, Sokoto
The only way Abdullahi Sani could make sense of what happened on the 12th of May, 2022, is to assume that every calamity that befalls a man is an act of God.
It was a day that twenty-nine children died in a boat mishap at Gidan Magana, a riverine community in Shagari Local Government Area of Sokoto State.
Sani, a 40-year-old farmer and father of 10, has just returned from his farm and was about to take a rest on the day when he was informed that some children had drowned in the community river.
The informant was quite aware that nine out of the twenty-nine children perished in the deep Shagari river, those of Sani but decided to keep mute on the sad news.
Upon his arrival at the riverside, Sani was quick to join local divers who were struggling to recover remains of the children, even though he knew some of the victims were his children.
“It was the saddest moment of my life, having seen my children’s lifeless bodies being removed from the deep water,” Sani said.
Recounting the sad moment, Sani said his children aged between 8 and 15 had left for a nearby village in search of firewood for commercial purposes.
The bereaved father bemoaned that the sudden demise of his children had left him and his two wives in disarray with one of the wives battling mental illness as a result of trauma from the sudden loss.
“There is no day that passes, we don’t remember their paths in their lives as their parents,” he said in an emotion-laden voice but as a true Muslim, we have succumbed to God’s wishes that created us.”
Sani was not only the bereaved father on the spot, his neighbour, Maka’u Dan-Gado, whose two children were among the dead had joined the local divers on rescue mission.
“I can’t still imagine that my children died in a single day. Another thing is that these children did not die through illness or something inevitable but just because the government has refused to listen to our plights, “Dan-Gado says.
He recalls that the victims were returning from a nearby community to fetch firewood when the waves of the rivers roared and caused their boat to capsize.
“Since there was no school in our community, they usually go to inland areas and search for firewood for commercial purposes. Unfortunately, that day was their last outing.
“Their deaths have caused us more pain than ever,” the bereaved father further recounts while narrating his plight to RMTIMES at the river bank.
COUNTING THE DEATHS
Checks by RMTIMES indicate that between January 2021 and May 2022, three cases of boat mishaps were recorded within the coastal communities of Shagari, resulting in many deaths.
In June 2021, at least 13 people lost their lives when a boat ferrying wedding guests capsized at Doruwa village. Most of the victims were women, children and aged persons.
RMTIMES recalls a similar incident that occurred at Dangawa village with seven people dead. Majority of the victims were farmers and labourers working for a large scale farmer across the river.
The scenes of devastation in Shagari communities replicated the plights of riverine communities across Nigeria, at mercy of flood impacts in the past years while Nigeria authorities took less action to curtail its negative impacts.
Data from the Nigeria Watch showed that 1,607 lives were lost in 180 boat accidents between June 2006 and May 2015. Also, in 2020, about 350 lives were lost to boat accidents in the country.
Experts say absence of suitable and modern motorised boats to enable the locals navigate the water level within these communities is the major cause of loss of lives. For the residents of Gidan Magana and its environs, the experts’ submission reflects their current ordeal.
NARROW RIVER TURNS TURBULENT
Until recently, 31-yrs old Haruna Gidan-magana had never had cause to worry about the calm, narrow river that now torments his community.
Haruna, who fishes around the river, recalls how thirteen people drowned when their boat capsized in June this year.
Findings by RMTIMES reveals that Shagari river was a smaller stream and tributary not previously perceived as a threat to these communities until in 2003, when the Federal Government through its Ministry of Water Resources established earth dams in some states.
The river, swamp in nature, was one of those irrigation schemes selected and expanded to the earth dam during President Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration while erstwhile Minister of Water Resources, Mukthar Shagari had facilitated the dam project to the state.
Records from Sokoto Rima River Basin Development Authority (SRRBDA) indicate that the dam was initiated by the Federal Ministry of Water Resources through the Basin Authority in 2003.
In 2008, the dam construction was awarded to Messrs. C.G.C Nigeria Ltd, an indigenous construction firm at the cost of N1.3 billion.
Nasiru Adamu who works as a technician with the construction company said the dam, measures 2-kilometre diameters and 13-metre high also has a 100-metre long and 11-metre high spillway.
“It is an earth-filled dam that was designed to supply irrigation and potable water for agrarian communities within Shagari Local Government Area, but that is not what we got from the dam,” Muhammadu says.
Since the construction of the dam, residents and media reports have continued to share ugly tales on how excess water from its drakes has caused several deaths and displaced thousands in the past.
In August 2018, Sokoto was among flood prone states that witnessed high rainfall that triggered massive flooding. The impact swept through several houses and destroyed public buildings.
It also caused a portion of the dam’ structure to break away. Umar Magaji, 40-year-old indigene of Gidan Magana, a locality in Shagari community, said they had never imagined such a situation would arise in their neighbourhood.
“That year, all 23 local government areas in the state were impacted. Shagari was among Local Government Areas alarmed as wholly flood-affected in Sokoto state. The year came with excess rains that were more than the normal average.” He recounts.
Magaji and other residents believe the construction of the dam is affecting their lives and livelihoods. They claimed the dam has remained dormant and not put into its usage since 2007 when it was completed.
“The torrential rain triggered several landslides, forcing the release of excess water from Goronyo and Shagari dams domiciled in the state, which further aggravating the flood impact,” Magaji says.
Since the flood incident, aggrieved residents, mostly farmers and fishermen have complained to the dam managers to redesign the dam in such a way that would not obstruct the river movement and their farming activity. They said the current state of the dam is hampering their means to livelihood and needed to be addressed.
THE DAM, THE DAMAGES
During a recent tour of the dam by RMTIMES, impacts of the floods were seen and refused to fade away at the riverbank with overflow water dancing close to inhabitants.
Shehu Garba, a farmer from Gangam village of Shagari community says the dam has caused his compatriots more harm than good.
“This dam is increasingly becoming the cause of immense destruction. The idea on the paper may be brilliant but the reality is what you are seeing now after many years of the dam construction. Its irrigation scheme purpose was never achieved,” Garba insists.
In response to the communities’ claims, a Freedom of Information enquiry was filed by RMTIMES and dated 19th September 2022.
It was addressed to the Managing Director, Sokoto River Rima Basin Development Authority, asking details about the dam execution and steps it had taken to improve dam safety in the face of climate change.
But the Authority, in a phone conversation through its Head of Procurement, Hashimu Guluma responded that the office had no such data about the dam.
He told RMTIMES to redirect such enquiries to the Federal Ministry of Water Resources, Abuja, saying “the Authority has no official responsibility on how the dam project was contracted.”
But contrary to Guluma’s claims, the Rivers Basin Development Authorities Act 1979 section 1 (1 and4) which listed Sokoto River Rima among eleven Basin Development Authorities says each authority shall undertake the function; “to construct, operate and maintain dams, polders, dykes, wells, and drainage systems …”
Further enquiries from climate experts reveal that at the root of Shagari communities’ problems was the fact that the earth dam was designed for the atmospheric realities that could no longer withstand the present climatic change in the area.
It was also believed that, at present, Shagari dam was ill-constructed and not adequately equipped to respond to the demands of climate change in the area.
“The Shagari ‘earth’ dam remains a major adversity within Shagari communities because rainfall patterns have shifted and extreme weather events increase yearly.
“This has renders the dam incapacitated and more vulnerable to the people within the riverside. Mist of our dams is incapacitated due to trend of the climate change.” Danjuma Hosea, a climatologist asserts.
GIDAN-MAGANA: A COMMUNITY BEGGING FOR AMENITIES
When RMTIMES visited Gidan Magana in late August this year, the sun was shining brighter on the community but the lingering danger of deaths on its inhabitants are still evident to a visitor.
A cross section of residents interviewed by TheWill say that with each day passes is a reminder of how their community will remain neglected by both dam authorities and the state government.
With reminiscence of uncertainty, they recount how tragedies of losing their loved ones are now compounded by the failure of the Sokoto State government to keep its promises.
Faruk Umar recalls how the State Governor, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, had, during a condolence visitation to the community, promised to provide two modern boats and lifesaving equipment that are suitable to navigate the river.
“The Governor promised us that two modern boats and life jackets for the boat occupants will be provided to our community without any delay. But, there was no sign of keeping to the promise.” The 30-years old further explain.
“That was not all; a few days after the Governor visited our community to sympathise with the bereaved families. Some government officials from the state emergency agency came to us to distribute relief materials but we told them we are lacking other essential amenities such as; good roads, elementary schools and a big Mosque.
“They promised that the government would provide these for us, especially the road which is in a deplorable state. But since they left, we have not heard any feedback from them.” Bsshir Magaji, a youth representative explained.
The Director-General, Sokoto State Emergency Management Agency, Dr. Nasiru Aliyu, in an interview with RMTIMES admitted that the recurrence of such boat accidents was a source of concern to the state government.
He recalled that his agency and officials of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) had since visited the community and donated some relief materials to the affected victims.
The SEMA boss, however, maintained that enquiry on the governor’s promise to provide modern boats among safety equipment was not for the agency but between the state’s ministries of Rural Development and Community Development.
However, officials of the National Inland Waterways Authority, a body in charge of waterways transport to improve and develop inland waterways for navigation were unavailable for comment. As of publication, there had been no response to an email sent for enquiry.
When contacted, the Commissioner for Rural Development, Isah Bajini Galadanci, faulted the media inquiry about the governor’s promises on Gidan Magana community.
“The governor has done other capital projects but the media are not reporting this. Why can’t you see that than enquiring on the governor’s promise to the village? Galadanci queries further.
The State Commissioner for Local Government and Community Development, Abdullahi Maigwandu, promised to send a reminder for the governor’s quick response to the needs of such communities.
As it is, residents of Gidan Magana like other riverine communities in Sokoto State would continue to suffer impacts caused by lack of good waterway transportation and other essential amenities until the governor’s ear falls on their pleadings.
- This story was supported by the Africa Data Hub Community Journalism Fellowship.
