Residents of Sokoto chase moving water tankers as water scarcity becomes more severe.

Since contractors stopped providing diesel for pumping water, the Sokoto Water Board was unable to pump water through the pipeline network.

According to some sources, the water board had to resort to water distribution using tankers that went to households because diesel was not available.

Residents were seen following water tankers in Masallacin Shehu and Atiku UbanDoma, Sabonbirni, Aliyu Joni, Aliyu Yodi, Kofar Kade, among other areas.

Others rushed to the Water Board headquarters on Illela Road and to water treatment facilities to get water.

According to a source from the Water Board, newsmen were told by a source that in addition to diesel not being available, there were other logistical challenges such as debts owed contractors who supply water treatment chemicals.

According to the source, contractors may have stopped supplying because they were not paid for accumulated expenses.

Some residents alleged that the water board was supplying adulterated water through the pipeline network until Thursday when the supply stopped totally.

They alleged that the poor-quality water was untreated, brownish, and had bad taste.

When contacted on phone, General Manager, Sokoto State Water Board, Alhaji Isma’ila Umar-Sanda, initially expressed misgivings that newsmen were only out to look for negative issues.

He said newsmen were not approaching the board on its routine activities till things went bad, stressing that all hitches were temporary and efforts were being made to address them.

He added also that there was no Commissioner for Water Resources in the state.

In a statement issued by Malam Muhammad Bello, Special Adviser on Media and Public Affairs to Governor Aminu Tambuwal, the governor, however, expressed displeasure at the situation.

“As Muslims in Sokoto State celebrate Sallah, some residents of the metropolis had to cope with a shortage of water supply, a situation which prompted the state government to respond swiftly.

“Only last week, the government gave N114 million to the water board to tackle the issue.

“It is surprising that the problem persists; hence the governor’s decision that the state government will investigate what went wrong,’’ Bello stated.