Panic In Makurdi As Water Level Around River Benue Rises.

Residents of Makurdi, the Benue State capital, have resorted to prayers over the rising water level along coastal vicinity in the past few days.

The resolve to seek God's intervention according to some of them who spoke to our correspondent yesterday is premised on the meteorologists' prediction of heavy floods.

Agara Patrick, a sand and gravel dealer at John Holt water front in Wadata area of Makurdi, admitted that the water level of River Benue has risen.

"The water started rising gradually last week. Though, there is no cause for alarm yet, those of us doing business in this area have already taken our pleas to God to avert a repeat what occurred last year. We cannot predict what will happen, so at this point, we are relying absolutely on God. At this time last year, the water had already covered a better part of our business environment, so the good news for now is that the rising level of the water is still minimal", Patrick said.

Another respondent, Mohammed Adah of Lesel street, off Rice mill, stressed that residents have completely turned to God for divine mercies in order to avert a repeat of the calamity which befell them a year ago.

He said, "We have completely turned the situation over to God. Although, the water level is not rising as fast as it did last time, we are not relenting in prayers. We can only continue to make supplication for divine intervention or else, is there anything we can do"?

Similarly, Mrs. Victoria Terkula, resident of Wadata, added that the rising of the river Benue in the last few days has given her family and neighbours serious concern, especially as they don't know where to relocate to.

All efforts by our correspondent to reach the Commissioner for Environment, Eugene Aliegba, for his comment at the time of filing this report proved abortive as he was said to be attending a crucial party meeting. Messages sent to him were also not responded to.