Mokwa tragedy: Declare national emergency on floods
The catastrophic flashfloods in Mokwa, Niger State due to the intense overnight rainfall on May 29, 2025, was not just tragic but a clear consequence of the country’s failure to follow through policy measures and projects that would have averted disasters. Now that the cost of the devastation is being counted, the human features of […]
Scene of the recent flood in Mokwa, Niger state
The catastrophic flashfloods in Mokwa, Niger State due to the intense overnight rainfall on May 29, 2025, was not just tragic but a clear consequence of the country’s failure to follow through policy measures and projects that would have averted disasters.
Now that the cost of the devastation is being counted, the human features of the emerging numbers are staggering. A lot of settlements have been washed away; 161 persons have been confirmed dead; many persons presumed to be victims of the flood are still missing, and more than 3,000 persons have been displaced. Also, most of the families have lost their homes, livestock, food supplies and farmlands.
By all standards, this is not a local disaster, it is a remarkable national tragedy that demands humanitarian attention, including access to safe drinking water and food.
Already, Vice President Kashim Shettima, who visited the devastated communities, spoke about the significance of Mokwa to Nigeria. He said, “Mokwa has always stood as a vital crossroads in Nigeria’s geography and commerce. It is an agricultural hub and a cultural stronghold that connects the North and South. This makes the people’s pain a shared national burden.
“While this disaster is devastating, it will not define you. We will rebuild. We will restore the vibrancy for which Mokwa is known.”
On behalf of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the vice president announced immediate federal intervention measures. These include the release of N2 billion for the reconstruction of homes destroyed by the flood. The project is to be implemented in partnership with the Niger State Government.
The Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Abubakar Kyari, was directed to relocate to Minna for one week to oversee the delivery and distribution of food assistance. The government issued a directive for the immediate reconstruction of four damaged bridges and the rehabilitation of drainage systems in Mokwa town to reduce future flood risks. The bridges provide links between the northern and southern parts of Nigeria. In addition, humanitarian organisations like the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) have reportedly stepped in with diverse kinds of support.
The flood in May was foretold. In the last decade, Mokwa Local Government Area of Niger State has been plagued by floods as the rivers that traverse the state overflow during intense rainfalls. For instance, in 2018, the Mokwa-Jeba bridge collapsed as a result of heavy rainfall. The then Minister of Works, Power and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, visited the location, blamed the forces of nature for the disaster and promised an emergency response.
Although that bridge was fixed, the government failed to give attention to other bridges usually damaged by heavy rainfall in that part of Niger State. They include the four key bridges in the area – the Nigerian Railway Corporation bridge, Goodwill bridge, the College of Agriculture bridge (also known as Raba Bridge), and the main bridge linking the North and South.
It is reassuring that the federal government has directed the reconstruction of these bridges. But considering the nature of the devastation in Mokwa, we call for a comprehensive work in the town, in the light of the fact that it is a regular victim of the overflow of River Niger. The disaster should be thoroughly investigated to ensure that not just a fire brigade but a sober and thorough reconstruction work is carried out in Mokwa and the adjoining communities to ensure that Nigerians who live in that part of the country are never again exposed to the kind of trauma they suffered from the downpour on May 29 and May 30, 2025.
Furthermore, we call on all state governments to learn lessons from the devastation in Mokwa and take steps to reduce the impact of floods in communities already identified as possible victims in 2025.
Earlier in the year, the federal government released the following statement about impending floods: “The 2025 Annual Flood Outlook (AFO) shows that 1,249 communities in 176 local government areas in 30 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) fall within the high flood risk areas. High-flood-risk states 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 FCT.”
With this kind of prediction, we expect states to deliberately take proactive measures like quickly dredging rivers that could overflow; clear drainages; create emergency waterways as a prelude to drainages; sensitise the people to measures they must take if they discover abnormal rise in water levels; and the kind of reconstruction work they must embark upon to protect their buildings from floods.
The ecological funds disbursed to state governments every month is meant to be applied in this manner. The federal government must convene a meeting of the National Council of States to discuss how to prevent the kind of devastation that occurred in Mokwa in all the flood-prone states in Nigeria.
We call on Governor Mohammed Umar Bago of Niger State to ensure that funds donated by the federal government, international humanitarian agencies, local philanthropists and the like reach those affected by the flood. The funds must be handled with transparency.