Heavy rainfall before dawn on Thursday, May 29, triggered severe flooding in Mokwa, located nearly 380 kilometers (236 miles) west of Abuja. This area serves as a crucial trading and transport hub where northern Nigerian farmers sell beans, onions, and other produce to southern traders.
1 / 7As of Saturday, May 31, at least 151 fatalities have been reported from the destructive flooding in the market town located in Nigeria’s north-central Niger state, according to local emergency services, as search efforts for additional victims continue. (Image: AP)
2 / 7The Niger State emergency service spokesperson, Ibrahim Audu Husseini, confirmed to The Associated Press the updated death toll on Saturday. Along with the fatalities, 11 individuals were reported injured, and over 3,000 people have been displaced, he added. (Image: Reuters)
3 / 7Over 500 households across three different communities were affected by the sudden and intense flooding that escalated within approximately five hours. Roofs became barely visible, while survivors found themselves in waist-deep water, working to salvage belongings and assist others. Husseini noted that two roads were destroyed and two bridges collapsed. (Image: AP)
4 / 7On Friday night, President Bola Tinubu issued a statement expressing his condolences and announcing the activation of emergency response efforts to assist victims and hasten recovery. (Image: Reuters)
5 / 7He indicated that security agencies have been instructed to aid in ongoing emergency operations, as concerns remain that more bodies may be found in remote locations. “Relief materials and temporary housing assistance are being rapidly deployed,” the president stated, assuring that no affected Nigerian would be left behind or unheard. (Image: Reuters)
6 / 7Flooding during Nigeria’s rainy season is not unusual. Areas in northern Nigeria have been facing extended dry spells intensified by climate change, coupled with excessive rainfall leading to serious flooding in the short wet season. However, the flooding in Mokwa has been especially lethal, with the region situated near the River Niger. (Image: Reuters)
7 / 7Aliki Musa, a leader in the Mokwa community, informed the AP that villagers are not accustomed to such severe flooding. Jibril Muregi, the chairman of the Mokwa local government area, stated in an interview with Premium Times that the establishment of flood control measures has been long overdue. (Image: Reuters)
