Rice farmers in Yauri, Ngaski, and Shanga Local Government Areas of Kebbi State have appealed for urgent assistance from the state government after devastating floods from the River Niger destroyed vast rice farmlands.
The disaster, which swept through the farmlands over the past days, wiped out produce worth millions of naira, leaving hundreds of farmers in despair. Many of them had invested their life savings in anticipation of a bumper harvest, now completely lost.
One of the affected farmers, Shuaibu Gidanbindigawa, described the flood as “strange and unprecedented.”
“The water from the River Niger first submerged our farms, and then the rains washed away everything,” he said.
“God has brought this challenge, and we have already lost everything. For the farmers of Shanga, Yauri, and Ngaski, all I can say is may God intervene in our situation.”
He urged political leaders to move beyond sympathy and provide concrete support.
“Some farmers who used to harvest over 100 bags of rice now have nothing. The water has taken over everything. This is not about coming to sympathize with us; we need real support. Some of us invested all our wealth in these farms. Please, Governor, your people are in desperate need of help.”
Yauri, Ngaski, and Shanga are among Kebbi State’s major rice-producing hubs and vital to Nigeria’s rice value chain. The floods have not only destroyed livelihoods but also pose a serious threat to food production in the state and beyond.
