Background
Mokwa
Mokwa is a market town in Niger State with an estimated population of 416,600 as of 2022. [1] The long southern border of the Local Government Area (LGA) is formed by the Niger River from Lake Jebba in the west beyond the confluence of the Kaduna River in the east. Kwara State and Kogi State are across the Niger from the LGA. The A1 highway crosses the Niger at Gana to Jebba in Kwara State. Mokwa is a major meeting point where traders from the south buy food from growers in the north. [2]
Flooding in Nigeria
Flooding in Nigeria has become a yearly occurrence that claims lives and destroys many properties. [3] In 2024, flooding in Nigeria killed more than 1,200 people, injured at least 2,712 others, and displaced 1.2 million. [4] [5] [6]
A previous flood in Mokwa on 16 April 2025, caused by the release of water from the Jebba Hydroelectric Power Station dam, killed 13 people, including three people on a canoe that capsized on a flooded river, and destroyed paddy fields. The floods affected over 5,000 dry-season farmers across Niger State and Kwara State, impacting over 10,000 ha (25,000 acres) of paddy farms in Mokwa alone with estimated economic losses in the billions of naira. Farmers from Kebbi State, Sokoto State, Katsina State and Kano State were also impacted. Reports indicate that the disaster displaced over 6,400 people, destroyed 45 schools, 44 health centers, and led to the collapse of the Eppa bridge, cutting off communities from urgent help. The flood was the sixth caused by the water released from the dam. [7] Dam management continues to be a recurring factor in flood-related risks. [8]
Aftermath
Niger State politicians Joshua Audu-Gana and Saba Ahmed Umaru confirmed in July that the floods killed 500 people and injured at least 200 others. [18] [19] The deputy chairman of Mokwa Local Government, Musa Kimboku, said that rescue efforts have ceased because authorities no longer believe anyone could still be alive. [20] NEMA described the flood as one of the worst in the state's history. [21] The Acting Director General of NEMA, Ibrahim Hussaini confirmed on 1 June 2025, that over 153 bodies were discovered under the Mokwa bridge due to the flood waves and they have been buried. [22]
NEMA said 3,534 residents were displaced while local media reported at least 5,000. [23] [24] [8] The displaced people face rising health risks from cholera, typhoid fever and malnutrition. [18] Critical infrastructure and more than 10,000 ha (25,000 acres) of paddy fields and croplands have been destroyed as well, affecting regional food supply chains. [8] [25] The flooding destroyed property worth millions of naira. [11] A thousand people were reported missing, [26] including a family of 12 where only four members were accounted for and all 100 children from a madrasa. [27] [14] [9] The number of missing people was later revised to over 600 as 500 people were confirmed dead. [18] More than 4,000 houses were destroyed. [18] NEMA provided food and non-food relief items including rice, blankets, and mats. [11]
According to a report by BBC, one of the victim of the flood, Saliu Sulaiman, said the floods had left him homeless and destroyed some of his cash business profits [28]
This page is based on this
Wikipedia article Text is available under the
CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
