By Abdulqadir Muhammad Alhaji
Shall community in Tafawa Balewa Local Government Area of Bauchi State have appealed to the Bauchi State Government for urgent intervention following devastating floods and an unprecedented rock collapse that destroyed farmlands, threatened homes, damaged access roads and endangered public infrastructure.
Speaking on behalf of the community, the District Head of Shall, Alhaji Sulaiman Idris Shall, described the incident as an extraordinary natural disaster that the community had never witnessed in its history.
He said while they remained grateful to God that no lives were lost, the flooding from a nearby river submerged vast hectares of farmland, particularly rice fields, with more than 50 hectares reportedly affected. According to him, the floodwaters also reached some residential houses, leaving many families in distress.
The traditional ruler said the destruction poses a serious threat to the community’s primary source of livelihood, warning that the loss of farmlands could lead to severe food shortages among residents who depend largely on farming.
He further disclosed that, for the first time in the community’s history, the massive rock overlooking Shall split apart following heavy rainfall, sending torrents of water, rocks and sand onto farmlands. He described the development as both frightening and astonishing, noting that residents in nearby Tafawa Balewa reportedly heard loud cracking sounds as sections of the rock collapsed.
Sulaiman appealed to the Bauchi State Government to urgently provide relief materials and rehabilitate the road linking Burgel to Shall, a distance of about five kilometres, which he said has become impassable during the rainy season.
Also speaking, the Councillor representing Bula B Ward, Hon. Muhammad Shuaibu Shall, said the community had been trapped between floodwaters from the river and water gushing from the collapsed rock.
He explained that while residents were already battling flooding from the river, the rock collapse further worsened the situation by directing water into homes and farmlands, destroying several farms completely.
The councillor called on the government to urgently rehabilitate the community’s access road, saying poor road conditions continue to hinder the transportation of farm produce and make access to emergency healthcare extremely difficult.
He added that many rice farms had been completely submerged, with floodwaters rising above the height of an adult, leaving farmers with little hope of recovering this year’s harvest.
Similarly, Shehu Haruna, Sarkin Yaran Shall, described the incident as a severe trial, revealing that his farmland and those of more than ten neighbouring farmers had been completely washed away.
He said the community usually records abundant harvests every rainy season but now faces uncertainty over food security following the widespread destruction of farmlands by floodwaters, rocks and sand deposits.
Haruna appealed to the government to provide immediate humanitarian assistance to affected residents.
Another resident, Hussaini Muhammad, said the disaster washed away the community’s only access road, effectively isolating Shall from neighbouring communities.
According to him, residents have always struggled with the poor condition of the road even during the dry season, while the current situation has further disrupted transportation and commercial activities.
He appealed to the Bauchi State Government to consider the plight of the community and provide urgent assistance.
Also speaking, the Ajiyan Shall, Abdullahi Adamu Shall, said despite being over 50 years old, he had never witnessed or heard of such a disaster occurring in the community.
He urged residents to continue praying for God’s mercy while appealing to the government not to neglect Shall in its time of need.
He also expressed concern over the condition of Shall Primary School, where heavy rainfall has created deep erosion gullies that now threaten the safety of the school premises and pupils.
Another community leader, Ibrahim Aliyu Shall, lamented that the access road continues to deteriorate due to persistent flooding and water flowing from the collapsed rock, while river floodwaters have also reached residential areas.
He said residents had made several community efforts to repair the road but lacked the resources to address the scale of the destruction.
Describing the rock collapse as both shocking and frightening, he warned that if the heavy rainfall continues, residents may eventually be forced to abandon the community because of the increasing danger posed by the floodwaters and unstable rock formations.
The affected residents collectively appealed to the Bauchi State Government to provide emergency relief, reconstruct the damaged road, protect vulnerable public infrastructure and support affected farmers to prevent further humanitarian and economic hardship.
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