Flooding Ravages Niger State Destroys over 271 Homes

Severe flooding has devastated Mokwa and Rijau Local Government Areas (LGAs) in Niger State, Nigeria, destroying 271 homes and ravaging 171 hectares of farmland, according to the Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA).

Ibrahim Hussaini, the spokesperson for NSEMA, confirmed that the flooding in the Kpashafu community of Mokwa LGA was triggered by torrential rains on Saturday. Similarly, the Dukku community in Rijau LGA experienced significant flooding following heavy rainfall last Friday.

Photo credit: TheCable

In response to the disaster, Abiodun Essien, the Senior Special Assistant to President Bola Tinubu on Community Engagement (North Central), issued a call for urgent intervention. On Monday, she took to social media, urging the Nigerian Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and other relevant bodies to act swiftly to provide relief for the affected communities.

"Urgent attention of @nemanigeria and other relevant government agencies. Muregi community, Mokwa Local Government Niger State, is flooded," Essien wrote in an X (formerly Twitter) post.

Photo credit: TheCable

This disaster follows earlier warnings from the federal government on April 17, cautioning that 148 LGAs in 31 states, including Niger, were at high risk of severe flooding from April to November.

The flooding in Niger State is part of a larger trend of devastating floods across Nigeria. On August 31, flooding destroyed a bridge that connected several communities to Damaturu, the Yobe state capital. More recently, on September 10, the collapse of the Alau Dam in Maiduguri, Borno State, resulted in the deaths of over 30 people and displaced more than 400,000 residents.

With the rainy season still ongoing, there is mounting concern over the vulnerability of many communities to further flooding, prompting calls for urgent government intervention.