Residents of Maiduguri on Tuesday celebrated the first rainfall of the year in the town, expressing relief that the excruciating hot weather would now subside.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that areas like Customs, New GRA Abbaganaram, Polo, Damboa road, West end and Tashan Bama axis in the metropolis recorded heavy downpour accompanied by strong winds.
The rain, which started around 2:40 p.m. and lasted for more than 40 minutes, was sequel to days of extreme hot temperature hovering above 45 to 47 degree Celsius.
Ismail Alfa, a resident of New GRA, expressed joy that the rain had brought relief to the excruciating heat in the Ramadan month.
Alfa said, “Honestly, many people did not find it easy within the last ten days, fasting in Maiduguri. Many people were forced to stay indoors while some can only look for shades under the trees to get relief,” he said.
Ali Goni, another resident, said that the downpour was a blessing and a relief to the residents of the metropolis.
Goni said “No one was anticipating that rain will fall this month but I am glad it did. I spent at least N1000 on daily basis to buy ice block for the breaking of the Ramadan Fast.
“And because the weather is too hot, we find it very difficult to sleep inside our houses. We mostly sleep outside,” he said.
Bashir Ahmed, a wheelbarrow pusher, said it was not easy for him working under the scorching sun in Maiduguri, saying that sometimes he had to suspend some other jobs because it was becoming very hard for him.
“We normally go to Monday market to look for customers to help them carry their commodities or foodstuffs for N100. But since, the beginning of this fasting period which came with heat, I cannot go to the market.
“Sometimes, I go very early in the morning and close around 11 am when the sun is hot. Indeed this rainfall was a relief for me because the heat had reduced.,” he said. (NAN)
