Dunes force residents to flee as desertification intensifies in Yobe communities

Desertification has forced several communities in the Yusufari Local Government Area of Yobe State to flee their ancestral lands.

Baba Aji, the local government chairperson, said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Damaturu, the Yobe State capital, North-east Nigeria, on Friday.

He said dunes had taken over lands and houses in the communities, rendering the areas inhabitable for both humans and animals.

“Desertification has driven many people out of their origin. Some of these people are now taking shelter in Kaska village.

“When you go to the affected villages you will see the dunes still advancing closer to houses.

“This situation forced some of them to migrate to Nguru town.

“Other areas affected by the sand dunes are Tulo-Tulo and Bula-tura, two towns bordering the Niger Republic.

“Our people are facing the danger of extinction,” Mr Aji said.

The chairman expressed concern that the dunes would soon encroach on an oasis, a critical water source in the area unless urgent measures were taken to halt the menace.

“Sand dunes are encroaching on the oases, which presents a beautiful picture amidst the harsh desert conditions.

“It is a clear and present danger to the economic livelihood of the people.

“People grow sugarcane, tomatoes, cassava, groundnuts and even potatoes on the oases during the dry season. All these activities are now under threat.

“If the oases are allowed to dry up, hundreds of people will lose their jobs and be condemned to economic hardship,” he said.

Mr Aji noted that the efforts made by the local and state governments, the Great Green Wall project, and non-governmental organisations were good but did not yield the desired result.

Therefore, the chairman appealed to the Federal Government to establish shelter belts in the area to prevent the sand dunes from growing.

“I am appealing to the Ecological Fund office and the Federal Government to declare a State of Emergency on desertification in Yusufari local government.

“We need shelter belts to hold back the sand dunes from advancing. I am proposing a sand dune programme which entails planting trees to protect the land.

“The sand dunes fixation should be speedily executed to prevent the dunes from taking over the oases,” the LG boss stressed.

On the state’s Agriculture Empowerment Programme, he lauded Governor Mai Mala Buni for allocating mini farm machinery and other farm inputs to the area.

“The equipment, fertiliser and improved seeds given to the farmers came on time, when they needed them most.

READ ALSO: Yobe govt distributes multi-billion naira agricultural inputs free to farmers

“With the timely distribution of the inputs, we will have a bumper harvest this year, Insha’Allah.

“However, due to torrential rainfall this year, we experienced flooding and erosion, leading to the collapse of buildings and destruction of farm produce.

“We took a delegation from the governor and SEMA to where buildings collapsed, and we are expecting assistance from them any moment from now.

(NAN)