Goodluck's country home in Otuoke affected by flash floods ravaging Bayelsa State

FORMER president Dr Goodluck Jonathan has become one of the latest victims of Nigeria's ongoing flood crisis as his country home in Otuoke in Bayelsa State has been ravaged by the deluge currently sweeping through the country.

As many as 1m people have been displaced across Nigeria over the last few months with up to 600 reported dead as a result of flooding brought about by Cameroon opening its Lagdo Dam and releasing tonnes of water. With the flooding showing no sign of abating, the United Nations has raised concerns about the impact it will have on food supplies, warning that as many as 19m could be affected.

River Benue flows into Nigeria from Cameroon and the Cameroonian authorities have built the Lagdo Reservoir 50 km south of the city of Garoua to help regulate the flow of water. Whenever the water in the artificial lake rises dangerously, however, the Cameroonians open the dam but because the Nigerian authorities have no flood control plans, this always leads to chromic flooding problems.

Among the states most affected in Nigeria are Benue, Kogi, Anambra, Delta and Bayelsa, as the River Benue overflows its banks. it them flows into the River Niger, where the over-flooding continues, with the deluge affecting villages as the river flows into the Atlantic Ocean.

Dr Jonathan's residence at his Otuoke home town in Bayelsa State was first ravaged in 2012 and the latest it incident reported by Governor Duoye Diri of Bayelsa State, has been described as an attack by natural disaster. Adding that a lot of local people have been rendered homeless due to the situation, he assured Bayelsans of his commitment to relieve them of this burden.

During a tour of the affected area, Governor  Duoye also took that opportunity to visit the residence of Eunice Jonathan, the former president's mother. He urged the people not to despair even in these trying times, assuring them that the state government had put in place machinery to provide relief materials and medical assistance to victims of the flood.

Governor Diri added: "As we have seen in other local government areas in the state, we have come to Ogbia and parts of southern Ijawland today. I have been to Ayama-Ijaw and Azikoro communities in Yenagoa, which is also badly hit.

“Now I am in Ogbia, precisely at the residence of the former president of Nigeria, Dr Goodluck Jonathan. You can see the degree of destruction here in Otuoke, where the water current is as if there is a river here."

He equally empathised with the former president, who he said is now also internally displaced as a result of the flood. Governor Diri solicited the help of well-meaning Bayelsans, corporate organisations and the federal government to enable the state to overcome the present unfortunate situation.