The nation has again been thrown into deep mourning following the recent tragic flood disaster in Mokwa, Niger State, which claimed the lives of over 200 people and destroyed many houses. The Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Joseph Utsev, said the flood was primarily caused by heavy rainfall due to extreme weather conditions, occasioned by climate change. However, unregulated building and construction activities, which blocked waterways, contributed largely to the disaster.
The flood, which is reportedly the worst in the area in 60 years, swept through the Mokwa districts of Tiffin Maza and Anguwan Hausawa, submerging communities and washing away homes with residents. About 200 people were confirmed to have been killed by the flood, while 1,000 people were declared missing. Estimated 121 residents were injured and 2,000 homes destroyed. We commiserate with the affected communities and bereaved families over the tragic incident.
The May 28 flooding is the second of such disasters in Mokwa this year. A previous flood on April 16, 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. It affected over 5,000 dry-season farmers across Niger and Kwara states, impacting over 10,000 ha (25,000 acres) of paddy farms in Mokwa alone with estimated economic losses in billions of naira. Farmers from Kebbi, Sokoto, Katsina and Kano states were also affected. Over 6,400 people were killed in the incident, 45 schools, 44 health centers, destroyed, including the collapse of the Eppa Bridge, cutting off communities.
Flood disaster has become perennial in Nigeria. Every year, many states are affected leading to loss of farms, houses and human lives. Between August and September 2024, no fewer than 4,167 houses and farmlands were destroyed by flood in Gombe and Yobe states. In Yobe, the State’s Emergency Management Agency revealed that 1,650 houses were destroyed in Jajere and Yunusari towns of the state. No fewer than 413 households were displaced in parts for the state affected by the flash flood. Within the same period, flooding destroyed goods and property worth millions of naira at the Afia Ekwe Building Materials Market, Ogidi/Ogbunike, in Idemili North/Oyi Local Government Area of Anambra State. Other parts of the country were not spared by the rapacious flood.
Most of the flooding has been attributed to heavy rainfall and the release of dam water from neighboring countries. Failure to provide mitigating measures before any flooding tends to exacerbate its effects. In the same vein, the non-implementation of environmental guidelines, lack of preventive infrastructure and the human abuse of the environment can also worsen the situation.
Beyond the Mokwa incident, more communities and local government areas are equally in danger of flooding in the days ahead. The Federal Government had earlier in the year predicted heavy rains and flooding in 30 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, between April and November. The high-flood risk states, according to the prediction are Abia, Adamawa, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Benue, Borno, Cross-River, Delta, Ebonyi, Edo, Gombe, Imo, Jigawa, Kebbi, Kogi, Kwara, Lagos, Nasarawa, Niger, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, Oyo, Rivers, Sokoto, Taraba, Yobe, Zamfara and the Federal Capital Territory.
The Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, who made the disclosure during the unveiling of the 2025 Annual Flood Outlook by the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency, disclosed that coastal and riverine areas such as Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Lagos, Ogun, Rivers and Ondo will face additional challenges from rising sea levels and tidal surges, impacting fishing, wildlife habitation and river navigation.
Specifically, the weather experts warned that 1,249 communities in 176 Local Government Areas in 30 states and FCT fall within the High Flood Risk Areas, while 2,187 communities in 293 LGAs in 36 states of the federation and the FCT fall within the Moderate Flood Risk Areas. “Flash and urban flooding are projected in major cities in the country due to high rainfall intensities, low attention to the management of water facilities, including drainage systems, waterways and lack of flood resilience structures,” they observed.
Flooding has become a present danger to many communities in the country. The Federal Government and flood-prone states should engage in mitigating efforts to lessen the impacts of the challenge. Dams should be constructed to conserve the flood water and harness same for farming and irrigation purposes. Also, water/flood barriers should be erected to minimise the movement of flood. Necessary preventive measures should be adopted to tackle the menace.
We laud the Federal Government for approving N2billion for rebuilding houses affected by the flood in Mokwa. Vice President Kassim Shettima made the disclosure during his condolence visit to the state government and people of the affected communities. Nevertheless, there is need for more measures to avert flooding or reduce its impact if it occurs.
Necessary steps should be taken to ensure that water channels are left open always. Property owners and developers should desist from embarking on any form of physical development without adherence to extant building guidelines by relevant agencies. The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and other related bodies should act early enough to put mitigating measures in place. Early warning alarm and enlightenment campaigns should be intensified.
