“I Thought I Was Dreaming” – Adamawa Flood Survivors Praise Swift Government Aid After Deadly Disaster
When the waters came crashing in on a quiet July night, Aisha Buba thought she was dreaming—until she heard her neighbours shouting her name. In moments, her home was flooded, and she was struggling to protect her four-month-old baby from the surging water.
She is one of hundreds of Adamawa State residents who lived through the deadly July floods that claimed more than 30 lives and destroyed homes, farmlands, and properties. But in the wake of destruction came swift relief.
Governor Fintiri’s Swift Response
Under the leadership of Governor Ahmadu Fintiri and Deputy Governor Professor Kaletapwa, the Adamawa State Government quickly mobilized aid—providing cash support, food, clothing, and essentials to displaced families in IDP camps and directly to those returning to rebuild their lives.
At a recent distribution event in Yelewa Primary School, beneficiaries said the palliatives were timely, adequate, and life-saving.
“The foodstuffs I got from the government is more than what my farm would have given me after harvest,” said Hajiya Memuna Abubakar, a middle-aged farmer.
Relief That Changes Lives
The aid packages included rice, noodles, maize, sugar, and other essentials—enough for some families to fill their storage rooms. One woman admitted it would prevent desperation-driven acts like theft, while an APC politician praised the PDP-led government for handling the crisis without political bias.
Even elderly residents were moved by the generosity. Alhaji Suleiman Yahaya said the assistance spared his family from hunger at a time when farming costs were climbing sharply. He dismissed distant critics, urging them to see the real impact on affected communities.
A Night to Remember
For Aisha Buba, the memory is still fresh:
“I thought I was dreaming, but before I know, I heard my neighbours yelling at me to come out, Aisha,” she recalled. “If not for their quick warning and the government’s help afterwards, I don’t know what would have happened to me and my baby.”