THE village head of Masama of Duma District, in the Borgu Local Government Area of Niger State, Malam Abdulmumuni Mohammed, was among the seven people that were killed as a result of a rainstorm that destroyed several communities in the state between Tuesday and Wednesday.
The six others died in the Mashegu Local Government Area.
It was learnt that the village head was in his house when the rainstorm started between 11pm and 12am.
An eyewitness said the storm, which was later accompanied by a heavy rain, blew off the roof of the palace of the village head, making part of the roof and the building to collapse on him.
“The roof fell on the village head and he slumped and died on his way to a hospital,” the eyewitness said.
It was gathered that several other people were injured as a result of the storm with many of them treated and discharged at the New Bussa General Hospital.
Property worth millions of naira, including places of worship, schools and livestock, were destroyed by the storm.
The Emir of Borgu, Alhaji Mohammed Dantoro, in whose emirate the incident happened, was seen engrossed in a meeting with his councillors when our correspondent called at his palace on Wednesday.
In the second disaster, which took place in Ibbi town, in the Mashegu LGA, flood took over most part of the town, rendering the villagers homeless.
Six of the villagers were said to have been killed by the flood, while no fewer than 500 animals were reportedly killed.
Some of the affected villagers, whose houses were destroyed, resorted to taking refuge in schools and with neighbours.
The Chairman of Mashegu LGA, Alhaji Shuaibu Kaboji, and the Director General of the Niger State Emergency Management Agency, Mr. Ibrahim Inga, confirmed the incident.
They asked for assistance from the state government to cushion the effect of the disaster on the displaced people.