A nursing mother and her child were among those who lost their lives during a torrential downpour which lasted for hours on Saturday in Kontogora local government area of Niger state, the State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA) confirmed on Wednesday.

The woman who is believed to be of Fulani extraction died with her son strapped to her back, Director General of NSEMA, Malam Ahmed Ibrahim Inga disclosed.

“We could not ascertain her identity and where she came from as nobody seems to have known her,” Malam Inga said.

He said among the dead was also a four-year-old girl, Ummi Khaira who lost her life when a mud building where she ran for shelter along with other children collapsed on them in Rigasa area.

Also confirmed to have died was a young man who has just had written his UMTE examination two days earlier for admission into a University.

He was said to be playing football with other youngsters and was running for shelter when the rain intensified and he died in the flood.

The remains of a father of eight, 47-year-old Umar Gaya of Ungwar Gwari was also said to have been recovered on Tuesday.

Malam Inga said the flood washed away the Kontagora-Makera highway at a point in Rafin Gora, leading to the temporary suspension of vehicular movement on the road especially trucks by the state government.

“Niger State Government is working frantically to provide a diversion to enable motorists to ply the road.

“However all heavy trucks are banned from passing through that route to avoid further deterioration of the road. They are therefore advised to re-route their movements from Mokwa to Makera to Tegina to Kontagora,” Alhaji Danjuma Sallau, Commissioner of Information and strategy said in a statement.

•Sourced from a Daily Trust report

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