Mokwa Flood Claims Over 200 Lives, Niger State Distributes Relief

 On June 2, 2025, Niger State Commissioner for Humanitarian Affairs, Ahmad Suleiman, confirmed that over 200 bodies were recovered following a catastrophic flash flood in Mokwa Local Government Area from May 28 to 29, 2025.

The flood, caused by a 12-hour downpour, killed 208, displaced 3,018, and destroyed 265 homes, per the Niger State Emergency Management Agency. Suleiman, addressing victims at a Minna relief camp, said the state government has distributed ₦50 million in aid, including rice, blankets, and mosquito nets, to 503 affected households, with plans to rebuild 100 homes by August 2025.

The disaster, worsened by poor drainage and deforestation, submerged 1,000 hectares of farmland, threatening food security in a state where 70% rely on agriculture. Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago declared a state of emergency, allocating ₦200 million for recovery, but victims criticized delays, as 1,500 remain in temporary shelters.

Peter Obi’s ₦20 million donation on June 2 highlighted private interventions, but Suleiman assured transparent aid distribution. The flood, part of 321 deaths nationwide in 2024, underscores Nigeria’s climate vulnerability, with calls for ₦10 billion in federal flood-control funding intensifying.