Residents of Zakirai in Gabasawa Local Government Area of Kano State are living in fear after heavy rainfall triggered severe flooding that destroyed houses, ruined food supplies, and displaced several families.
The flooding, which affected over 100 houses, a section of the railway line, and parts of the local market, has been linked to substandard drainage construction as part of an ongoing five-kilometre road project.
Many locals say the poorly planned and executed drainage work has worsened the situation with every rainfall.
One of the affected residents, Mallam Musa, said his five-bedroom house has been repeatedly flooded.
“I now use stones to make a path through the stagnant water just to reach my house. I woke up one night to find water rising from underneath. This never happened before. It is due to the stagnant water caused by poor drainage work on the road project,” he said.
Another resident, a housewife named Sa’adatu, said the flood destroyed all the food she had stored.
“The rain on Saturday ruined all our foodstuffs. We woke up at midnight to find everything submerged. We are appealing to the government and philanthropists to come to our aid,” she said.
Some residents have already abandoned their homes. One woman, who asked not to be named, said she fled with her children to her family’s house after water overtook her residence.
“The room is always filled with water. Everything gets soaked. We couldn’t endure it anymore, so we moved out,” she said.
Others are still living in flooded houses but say the situation is unbearable.
“The stagnant water has weakened my house. If not for God’s protection, it would have collapsed. My wife’s room and our food items are ruined. The government needs to act,” a resident said.
“Look at these houses — they’re all in terrible condition. If the government doesn’t intervene, we will lose everything,” added Musa Datti.
Experts in the community have also raised concerns. Muttaka Idris Abasha, a specialist in Hazard and Disaster Risk Management from Zakirai, said the situation was preventable.
“Zakirai is naturally on elevated ground and has never been prone to flooding. What we’re seeing now is not a natural flood hazard but the result of poor engineering. After repeated rainfall, the structures couldn’t withstand the pressure, leading to their collapse,” he said.
He blamed the ongoing road project for disrupting the natural water flow.
“Before this project, existing waterways in Zakirai could carry runoff water from as far as Gabasawa town through Azare to Dan Zannuwa. But the 5km road was designed without considering these routes. Now, the water stays where it never did before,” Abasha said.
He added that the flood even reached graveyards, “Last week, water invaded our graveyards and caused serious damage. We are still working to fix it,” he added.
With the rains continuing, residents fear worse days ahead, “The more it rains, the less the soil absorbs. Water keeps accumulating. If urgent action is not taken, Zakirai may face a disaster it never imagined,” Abasha warned.
Earlier, Kano Times reported that Zakirai residents had urged the government to intervene in the 5km road project, which they allege is being carried out below standard.
A youth leader in Zakirai, Comrade Rabiu Abba Zakirai, expressed concern over the condition of the road, describing it as substandard and dangerous, especially during the rainy season.
“The road has become a hazard. It’s affecting daily life and economic activities. The poor quality shows that local concerns were ignored,” he said.
The contract for the road project was awarded to MKMECS Construction Ltd, based at No. K12, Dr. Malla Kachalla Housing Estate, Bama Road, Maiduguri, Borno State. Efforts by Kano Times to contact the company’s media and communications department were unsuccessful.
During the launch of another 5km road project in Kunchi town in Ghari Local Government Area, Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf stated that the initiative was originally introduced during Senator Rabi’u Kwankwaso’s second term to improve rural infrastructure, but was abandoned by the previous administration.
Governor Yusuf was quoted as urging the contractor to mobilize to the site within a week or face termination of the contract.
In September 2024, the governor revoked a similar road project in Garko Local Government Area due to the contractor’s failure to begin work. The decision was announced in a statement by Sanusi Tofa, Director-General of Media and Publicity to the Governor.
