Following continuous heavy rainfall in Nasarawa State, multiple lecture halls at the Federal University of Lafia are now submerged under floodwater.
Students found themselves unable to attend classes as the flooding made it impossible to access various parts of the school campus, leaving many stranded at the school gate.
Arewa PUNCH spoke to a student named Mr. Felix, who appealed to the school authorities to address the situation urgently to prevent similar incidents in the future.
Mr. Felix lamented, “The flooding has rendered our lecture halls inaccessible, preventing us from attending classes.”
“The heavy rainfall has been ongoing for several days, and we urge the school management to assist us in resolving this issue to avoid future disruptions.”
He also criticized the construction of some university buildings in waterlogged areas, calling on the Federal Government to send surveyors to address the recurring flooding challenges faced by the university community.
In response, the Nasarawa State Government has initiated measures to alleviate the impact of floods on tertiary institutions prone to flooding in the state.
Margaret Elayo, the State Commissioner for Special Duties on Humanitarian Services and NGOs, revealed this after inspecting the Faculty of Arts multi-purpose hall at the Federal University of Lafia, which was submerged due to the heavy rains in Lafia.
Expressing concern over the situation, Elayo assured the university’s management of government support and called for calm among students as actions were being taken to address the issue swiftly.
Emphasizing the state government’s commitment to providing relief from floods and supporting the university community, the Commissioner for Special Duties on Humanitarian, Social Services, and NGOs pledged to facilitate the resumption of academic activities for students.
During the visit, the commissioner and her team surveyed flooded lecture halls, including those in the Faculties of English, Literature Studies, History, International Studies, Science, Social Sciences, and Visual and Creative Arts.
Her visit aimed to gather firsthand information on the situation and assess the extent of the flood damage, with plans to collaborate with the Nasarawa State Emergency Management Agency in finding solutions for a swift return to normalcy.
It is worth noting that the Nigeria Meteorological Agency had previously warned of potentially severe flooding in Nasarawa and other parts of the country during this year’s rainy season.