Makurdi — General apprehension over the reported threat of a tropical storm still envelopes Benue state as the people are still afraid of leaving their homes by day break of yesterday even when it became clear that the threatening bad weather has subsided.

The forecast of the threat-ening storm was repeatedly aired over the radio, just as the state government warned the people against staying out doors as from past 10pm of Saturday when the disaster was expected to strike. Gove-rnor Gabriel Tor-Suswam's Special Adviser on Media and Public Affairs, Mr. Cletus Akwaya, who went on air to inform the people of the weather forecast, reported that the threat was coming from Chad and would sweep through Maiduguri, Yola and Taraba states where it was expected to reach Benue state by past 10 to 11pm. The weather foreca-sters said the storm would travel at over 70 kms per hour.

The forecast threatened normal activities in Makurdi and environs as businesses were generally paralyzed with people retiring for the night into homes as early as 7pm. The threat closed eateries and drinking joints earlier than expected just as commuters became stranded with the complete absence of commercial buses and motorcycles.

Daily Trust monitored events on that day but the storm never came as forecast by Nigerian meteorologists. Rather, the sky was clear and the moon shone bright, and accompanying stars. A rainbow, indicating an unusual weather change, was also observed at full circle around the bright moon at between 9pm and 10:30pm when the storm was expected. Throughout the night, the weather was calm as a normal breeze blew with the usual rainy season's cooling effects.

Residents spoken to said they were disappointed with the forecast as according to them, the announcement disl-ocated their normal activities in several ways. They however thanked God that the disaster never came after all.

"I had to rush back home from the group reading in school. The whole Makurdi town was thrown into a stampede as everybody was rushing to get to some safe place before the storm will come visiting. But I thank God nothing happened after all", said an under graduate of Benue State University (BSU), who gave her name as Ene Oche.

Ene Oche said back home, every household was worried that she had not returned as at 7pm. "Same was the worry around the neighbourhood. Everybody was apprehensive.

And let me not deceive you, we are still apprehensive because anything can happen. We can't say how or when", she added.