Over 100 Feared Dead, Dozens Missing As Flood Devastates Mokwa In Niger State

More than 100 people have been confirmed dead and over 100 others are still missing after a devastating flood swept through Mokwa Local Government Area of Niger State, following a torrential downpour on Wednesday night.

The disaster, described by locals as the worst in decades, submerged homes, destroyed infrastructure, and left scores of families searching desperately for missing loved ones. As of Friday, 44 victims had been buried, while 31 others were laid to rest earlier in the week.

Niger State Deputy Governor Yakubu Garba, who visited the affected communities on Friday, confirmed the death toll and ongoing search efforts. “I have been briefed by NEMA and NSEMA officials on ground. Over 100 lives have been lost, and many more are yet to be accounted for,” he said while addressing survivors at an internally displaced persons (IDP) camp.

He assured victims that the government had begun distributing relief materials received from the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and promised continued support.

NEMA Director-General, Zubaida Umar, said agency officials were on-site, coordinating search and rescue efforts in collaboration with local authorities.

Among the victims was Anas Usman, who lost 17 members of his family when their house collapsed under the weight of the floodwaters. “We were preparing to go to the farm when the house was suddenly submerged. Children, women, and men in our family were all gone,” he told reporters.

Another resident, Salihu Ishaq, said his sister and her three children were swept away and remain missing. “We have never seen anything like this. Entire villages have been submerged. Over 40 corpses were buried today alone. More than 100 people are still unaccounted for,” he said.

The Director-General of the Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA), Abdullahi Baba-Arah, reported that more than 50 buildings and their occupants were swept away in Tiffin Maza and Anguwan Hausawa communities. He noted that the scale of destruction is still unfolding. “Even today, we recovered more than five corpses. Several are still trapped in collapsed buildings,” he added.

Jonathan Vatsa, Senior Special Adviser on Media to Governor Mohammed Bago, said the flood also washed away the critical Tatabu Bridge, the only road linking the North to the South-West. “This has plunged the entire state into mourning,” Vatsa said, describing the disaster as unprecedented in the last 30 to 40 years. He called for urgent intervention from the Federal Government, saying the scale of the disaster was beyond the state’s capacity.

In response, President Bola Tinubu has directed NEMA and security agencies to intensify rescue and relief operations in the affected communities. In a statement issued Friday by the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, the President expressed deep concern over the tragedy and emphasized the need to prioritize saving lives.

“The immediate priority of the Federal Government is to save lives and provide urgent relief to survivors,” the statement read. “NEMA, the Nigerian Armed Forces, and the Niger State Government are working around the clock to assist affected communities.”

The Federal Government also praised first responders and local volunteers for their efforts and urged residents to cooperate fully with emergency personnel.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with the bereaved families and all those impacted by this tragedy,” Idris said. “In this time of sorrow, the nation stands united in grief and solidarity.”

The flood adds to a string of severe weather disasters in Nigeria in recent years. In 2022, flooding displaced over 1.3 million people and claimed more than 600 lives. Last year, several northern states also experienced deadly floods triggered by prolonged rainfall.