It was a great relief to residents of Sokoto State, especially those who live within the metropolis as the first major rains descended from the skies on Monday evening.

Arewa PUNCH recalls that most residents of the state had been living with serious complaints about the weather and the associated heat getting to between 44 and 45 degrees celsius in the last month now.

The rain, which started some few minutes after seven in the evening, pounded the roof tops till about midnight,  even as most residents welcomed it with joy and gratitude to God.

A resident of the state, Umar Bello, who spoke with our correspondent, said the rain fell at the best time and came with a big relief to the people.

“You can see how the people of the state are rejoicing. This is what we have been waiting for in the state.

“The heat has been causing a lot of discomfort and illnesses for our people coupled with the fact that electricity supply has not been stable for a long time.

“We can not use generator because there is acute fuel scarcity in the land and where it is available, the price is not for the poor again, as such, our Imams have been praying to God to intervene and send down the rain.

“To God be the glory, even though we didn’t expect such rain to fall in Sokoto for now until around July or so, but God answered our prayers.”

Also speaking, Abubakar Aliyu said with the rain, most people in the state will be healthier than before.

He opined that most of the sicknesses affecting the people are as a result of the heat wave, which he said has caused a lot of health challenges for the people of the state