Following the devastating flood that left more than 200 people dead, destroyed homes, and displaced hundreds of people in Mokwa, Niger State, Vice-President Kashim Shettima has now arrived in the area to commiserate with the victims of the natural disaster.
Triggered by torrential rainfall, the disaster has resulted in the deaths of at least 175 persons, with more than 100 still missing and 121 others injured.
The floodwaters submerged more than 3,000 homes, destroyed critical infrastructure, and displaced thousands of residents.
The flooding, which lasted approximately five hours, overwhelmed the town, washing away homes, vehicles, and even a tank truck. Key infrastructure, including the Maokwa bridge and two other bridges, collapsed, severing vital transportation links and hindering rescue efforts.
Two major roads were also swept away, further isolating affected communities.
Emergency response teams, including the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and the Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA), have been deployed to the area.
Search and rescue operations are ongoing, with excavator teams working to recover bodies trapped under debris. So far, scores of bodies have been buried, and more are expected to be recovered in the coming days.
President Bola Tinubu, in response, activated the National Emergency Response Centre and directed federal agencies to provide immediate relief to the victims.
Relief materials, including food and non-food items such as rice, blankets, and mats, have been distributed to displaced persons.
The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has delivered essential relief items to flood victims displaced in Mokwa.
Even so, search and rescue teams from NEMA, the Nigerian Red Cross, and local volunteers continue operations to save trapped victims and recover bodies.
Meanwhile, the federal government attributed the flood that ravaged Mokwa Local Government in Niger State to unregulated buildings and construction activities that blocked River Dingi and heavy rainfall as a result of climate change.
Professor Joseph Utsev, the Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, while addressing journalists in Abuja, said both the Kainji and Jebba dams remain structurally sound and operational, contrary to reports making the rounds that the flood was caused by damaged dams in Mokwa.
In the meantime, Governor Umar Bago of Niger State has cancelled all Eid-el-Kabir celebrations across the state in honour of victims of the devastating floods
