Residents in the six local government areas of northern Yobe State have been cut off from the state capital, Damaturu, after severe flooding from Jama’are River in Bauchi State submerged the Potiskum-Gashua federal road.
The affected LGAs — Jakusko, Bade, Karasuwa, Nguru, Yusufari, and Machina—now face significant travel challenges, Channels TV reports.
The incident, which occurred on Tuesday, August 27, 2024, has forced residents to seek alternative routes, including the poorly maintained Bayamari-Dapchi road or the longer Hadejia road in Jigawa state.
Samaila Musa, the Chairman of the Nangere Local Government Area, expressed concerns over the impact, stating, “I visited the road that was cut off, and it has already started affecting our economic and agricultural activities, especially those that will be coming to the livestock market in Potiskum. I am on my way to meet the Deputy Governor and inform him of the situation.”
Efforts to reach the Controller of the Federal Ministry of Works were unsuccessful as his number was not reachable.
Engineers have advised the federal government to construct a mini-bridge in the area to prevent the annual washing away of the road due to heavy water flow.
Meanwhile, SaharaReporters had reported that flooding had killed at least 49 persons nationwide while thousands had been displaced in 2024 after heavy rains caused flooding in the North-East of the country.
According to the National Emergency Management Authority (NEMA), this development comes amid concerns on the management of ecological funds which could have helped to mitigate the impact of flooding by states.
