President Muhammadu Buhari has delegated authority to the Director General of the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, Mustapha Maihaja, to declare a “national disaster’’ in the event that anticipated flooding turns a reality in parts of the country.
The President’s directive follows a warning by the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency that Rivers Benue and Niger had almost reached levels that resulted in flooding in 2012, which led to loss of lives and destruction of property.
A letter to the Director of General of NEMA titled: “Situation Report on the River Flood Along the Banks of Rivers Benue and Niger’’, which was signed by the Chief of Staff to the President, Abba Kyari, said:
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“Delegation of authority to the Director General of NEMA to activate the Disaster Response Units of the military for possible search and rescue missions, and
“The procurement and proportionate stocking of relief materials and health related items up to N3billion to provide for the needs of possible victims.’’
The letter also instructed the head of the emergency agency to provide regular updates to the President.
On 12 September, nine people lost their lives while over 200 houses were destroyed and numerous farm lands washed out by flood in Gombe between May and August, an official has said.
Mrs Lamis Benjamin, Deputy Director, Rescue and Rehabilitation, Gombe State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), disclosed this to newsmen in Gombe.
Benjamin said four out of the nine deaths were recorded in May following a downpour in Gombe town.
She said the remaining five deaths were recorded in Cham community of Balanga Local Government Area of the state in August also after a downpour.
![Rev. Fr. Anthony Odiong, a US-based Nigerian Louisiana Catholic priest, was arrested in Florida on Tuesday for possessing child pornography, according to law authorities. The suspect is reportedly accused of many other cases of sexual assault. The Waco, Texas, Police Department announced in a Facebook post on Tuesday that officers detained Father Anthony Odiong in Ave Maria, Florida, with assistance from the United States Marshals Service. Waco police announced in March that they had received "credible information" about a sexual assault allegedly committed by Odiong in Texas in 2012. “During the subsequent investigation, a case of possession of child pornography was uncovered,” the police said. The priest was apprehended in Florida by the Caribbean Regional Fugitive Task Force. The Waco Police Department said that he will be extradited to Texas. Odiong had previously served in the Archdiocese of New Orleans before being removed as priest in December of last year due to controversy over homilies in which he claimed, among other things, that the Catholic Church was being taken over by "the gays." At the time, the priest was also accused of abusive behaviour; a Louisiana lady claimed in U.S. bankruptcy court that Odiong had committed both financial and sexual abuse against her. Prior to joining the New Orleans Archdiocese, Odiong served in at least two Texas parishes. On Tuesday, Waco police stated that during their sexual assault investigation, "the presence of other survivors was revealed." “Multiple women have come forward to tell similar experiences as the sexual assault survivor who reported the initial allegation,” the police department said. “Survivors’ experiences ranged from sexual assault and indecent assault, more commonly recognised as groping, and financial abuse, with some survivors experiencing every element of Anthony Odiong’s manipulation.” The police said they “believe there may be more survivors, and we wish to speak with anyone who [has] had similar encounters” with the priest. The Archdiocese of New Orleans issued a brief news release on Tuesday noting Odiong's arrest in Florida. The archdiocese “encourages anyone with any information to contact law enforcement,” the release said.](https://chronicle.ng/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/ezgif-6-4730550ede-450x300.jpg "Odiong: US-based Nigerian Catholic priest convicted over sexual assault")
