News Reporter: Kamal Yalwa
At least 151 people have been confirmed dead, and thousands more displaced following devastating floods in Mokwa, Niger State, central Nigeria. The disaster struck after relentless rainfall from Wednesday night into Thursday, leaving a trail of destruction, heartbreak, and uncertainty.
Authorities from the Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA) disclosed on Saturday that search and rescue operations are ongoing, with many bodies recovered as far as 10km (6 miles) downstream from the worst-hit areas. The actual death toll could be much higher, with many still missing.
Al Jazeera’s Ahmed Idris, reporting from Mokwa, highlighted the grim reality, stating, “When officials give you a figure, the real toll could be two, three, or even four times higher.”
The floods have displaced at least 3,018 people, with 265 houses completely destroyed. Residents, many now homeless, are left combing through rubble and muddy waters, searching for loved ones and salvaging what little remains.
President Bola Tinubu, in a condolence message, assured Nigerians that search and rescue operations were underway, supported by security forces. He also directed the immediate deployment of relief materials and temporary shelters to assist affected families.
“We lost everything, the families. We don’t have anywhere else to go, the property has gone,” Mohammed Tanko, a local resident, told Al Jazeera. Another survivor shared: “I escaped with only my nightdress. Right now, I can’t even identify where our home used to be.”
The exact cause of the floods remains unclear, but residents speculate a possible dam failure upstream. Authorities have not confirmed this, but the volume and force of the water caught many unprepared, overwhelming homes and communities.
As families mourn and search teams continue their grim task, the tragedy in Mokwa has once again underscored the vulnerability of rural communities in Nigeria to extreme weather events and the urgent need for improved flood management and disaster preparedness.
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