Mokwa Flood: Unearthing the root cause

On May 29, 2025, the people of Mokwa in Niger State woke up to a nightmare that would scar their community for generations. What began as a torrential downpour ended in a tragedy of staggering proportions: over 200 lives lost, countless homes destroyed and an entire community thrust into chaos.

The floodwaters surged through neighborhoods with terrifying force, sweeping away men, women and children. Survivors watched helplessly as loved ones were engulfed by the raging waters. One resident, overwhelmed with grief, shared the heartbreaking reality: he lost 16 members of his family in a single night.

Officials quickly attributed the catastrophe to heavy rainfall and the overflow of the Dingi river. However, this explanation sparked outrage and skepticism among locals. Many insisted that Dingi river, located downstream from Mokwa, could not have been the cause of the flooding. Others speculated that the disaster may have originated at Ubegi, a community in the nearby Mashegu Local Government Area, or from the release of water from a dam. Some even sought spiritual interpretations to make sense of the unimaginable losses.

SPONSOR AD

Abubakar Idrisu, a resident of Mokwa in Angwan-Hausawa, vividly recounted the harrowing morning the flood struck their community. He explained that he and others were among the first to witness the torrents flowing down from the railway track. The devastating event began around 6:30am, a time when many were still enveloped in sleep. 

“The water had been quietly accumulating behind the railway track, and most of us were oblivious to the sheer volume that had gathered,” he recalled somberly.

When it finally broke loose, the flood rushed in, dragging with it fridges, mattresses and various household appliances. Initially, the water seemed manageable, but within a fleeting moment, it transformed into a powerful surge that inundated the area.

“Thank God that I managed to escape,” he said, his voice tinged with relief and sorrow. He gestured to the rising tides, adding that the floodwaters had reached chest height. 

In the wake of this disaster, no one could truly ascertain the number of lives lost. However, based on the bodies that were recovered, the toll was staggering: In Mokwa alone, 170 corpses were buried; Rabba saw 75; another 23 were laid to rest in Kwachuwa, near a sugar company, and yet another 22 in Tungan Dole.

Idisu lamented that several villages upstream had also fallen victims to the flood’s wrath, with the destruction starting from regions like Yagwagwa, Garin Sani and Ndayako.

He also noted a heartbreaking factor—the day before the flood, some nearby residents had tried to raise the alarm about an impending disaster, but the message never reached Mokwa. He explained that after the rains fell, the water began to settle at the back of the railway track, yet no one in the community grasped the immense danger posed by the rising water levels.

“By the time we noticed it, the flood had already begun its descent into our lives,” he recounted.

He shared that the severe impact on their community stemmed from their houses being situated in a natural valley that serves as a pathway for the water, yet they had never before experienced such catastrophic flooding.

“Among all the communities affected, Mokwa has suffered the most,” he emphasized, his words heavy with the weight of loss and devastation.

Unanswered question

The lingering question is: What truly caused the Mokwa flood? To seek answers, we travelled deep into the hinterland to meet locals who were also affected by the flood but had not been discussed by the media, primarily due to their proximity to the township.

At Ndayako, a community 10 kilometers away from Mokwa, residents reported no loss of life but visible flood damage. One leader in the community, Abdul Imam Ndayako, disclosed that over 118 households were affected, with 80 houses destroyed. He pointed to Tungan Sani, a neighbouring community, as the source of the flood.

“The people of Ndayako believe that this is the source because that is where the water always comes from. When the disaster happened this time, we sent some of our youths to investigate the source of the water and they returned saying it came from the same place,” he said.

He noted that this flood was primarily caused by heavy rainfall in those areas. When asked about the possibility of a dam overflow being the cause, he asserted that the dams and rivers located around Mokwa were too far away.

“From here to Kainji is about 98 kilometers, and the nearest river, Kaduna, is over 100 kilometers away,” he explained. He firmly believes that the flood disaster had nothing to do with either the river or any dam.

Notably, there are no streams, rivers or dams at Ndayako. While travelling to Tungan Sani, it was observed that erosion had stripped away entire sections of farmland. In nearby Saban Garin Sani, the community head, Mohammadu Sani, shared a similar story, highlighting the lack of assistance from the government. He explained that they had been affected by floods every year due to heavy rains, but the recent incident was particularly severe, flooding the entire area and destroying their homes and possessions.

“The flood destroyed our mosque and houses. The water came from upstream and made its way through our community. Forty years ago, we were told by some people from Mokwa that two people were killed by this same flood. The water was very heavy; it even uprooted trees.” He pointed to Ubegi, another community upstream as the source of the water.

The town of Ubegi, located 30 kilometers from Mokwa, emerged as another critical piece of the puzzle. Like Mokwa, Ubegi had suffered from years of gully erosion and inadequate drainage. Residents echoed a familiar concern: Climate change, combined

with poor infrastructure and urban planning, had left their towns defenceless against heavy rains. The district head, Umaru Isah, said they had been seriously affected by the rains every year. He claimed that the flood, which resulted in the destruction of lives and property in Mokwa, began around their community as there are no streams or dams in their area.

“Our food and animals were carried away by the flood. For eight years, we have been suffering from this flood disaster,” revealed.

The warning

At Rabba, a community downstream from Mokwa bordering Niger River, community members reported that corpses were flushed from Mokwa to the river, with some recovered along the riverbanks in Rabba. The flood destroyed the bridge linking Rabba to Mokwa, cutting off trade and communication. The village head, Umaru Tswako, an engineer, said that no lives were lost in Rabba because they were informed earlier by the people of Mokwa about the impending disaster.

“Two people called me multiple times to warn that a flood was coming and it was already destroying Mokwa. I didn’t delegate anyone to communicate this; I delivered the message myself. I drove to the riverside, and wherever I saw a group of people gathered, I told them about the incident and advised them to evacuate the area. Because of this warning, people vacated the riverbank. When I returned to my room, I heard a strange sound like rushing water. My first thought was: Has war broken out? Is war coming to Rabba today? Then my son explained that it was the sound of the water they had mentioned.

“As soon as the entire village heard the noise, everyone rushed out to the riverbank. The force of the water was so strong that it uprooted heavy trees and palm trees. The flood swept away entire tracts of farmland close to the riverbank. Furthermore, it carried away vehicles, motorcycles and other materials,” he said. 

Another community member, Aliu Usman, mentioned that some bodies were found along the banks of River Niger, which flows beside Rabba. The Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Professor Joseph Terlumun Utsev, an engineer, had claimed earlier that the flood in Mokwa was caused by a railway that runs between River Dangi and Mokwa. He stated that when the excess water became substantial, it overflowed the railway lines, leading to the flooding in Mokwa. However, Usman countered this assertion, explaining that River Dangi is located downstream of Mokwa and that there is no railway close to it. He noted that River Dangi could not flow upstream due to lack of capacity, and pointed to heavy rainfall and the significant accumulation of water upstream of Mokwa as the real culprits. 

“The catchment areas contributing to this flood are Ubegi, Iyagbagba, Station Girgi and Ndayako communities. There was heavy rainfall for more than four hours. At the railway track in Mokwa, there is an embankment created by colonial planners with a drainage culvert underneath. This was meant to direct rainwater to River Dangi. However, community members in the Mangoriri area blocked these water channels. As a result, when the rain came, it pooled behind the railway track. The force of the water from the communities upstream pushed the water over the banks of the railway track, leading to the flood. With many people constructing homes on the waterway, the water began to flow downward. No one can determine the total volume of water that accumulated and caused this disaster.

“Our bridge has been washed away and we had to construct a local one with the help of the community to allow access to other areas from Rabba,” he explained.

The damage caused by the flood was immense. Some victims believe that over 500 lives were lost, while official figures report 261 fatalities. 

Mohammadu Usman Tanko, a victim from Mokwa, disclosed that he lost 16 family to the disaster.

He said, “The flood took away four women from our family. We found one of them, my wife, on a rooftop. She is current receiving traditional treatment from a bonesetter in a neighbouring community. My younger brother’s wife, who lost four of her children, was rescued with a rope thrown to her. We truly don’t know the source of the water. It was the will of God that befell us. The water accumulated at the back of the railway for two days. Normally, when this happened, it dried up, but this time was different. My father used to tell us that this is a waterway. For over 100 years, it has been a waterway; and he always said it would one day flood again.”

Mohammed N. Mohammed, a father of two who lived with his extended family, found himself in a devastating situation. On that fateful day, 32 family members shared the compound. Although they were fortunate enough not to suffer any loss of life, they endured the harrowing experience of losing all their belongings.

Currently staying with a friend, Mohammed expressed his family’s situation, saying, “I often visit the disaster site to see what assistance the government can provide for us.”

When the flooding began, the family faced a terrifying escape, unable to leave through the main gate of their home. They had to break down the wall at the back to reach safety. Thankfully, none was physically harmed, but the flood took away all their electronics and kitchen utensils, leaving them in a state of uncertainty.

Frustrations grow

In the aftermath, a primary school at the Kpegi area of Mokwa was turned into a shelter for those affected, while they awaited aid from the government and generous individuals. However, many victims expressed their frustration, feeling that the school was too far from their homes. They suggested that a nearby primary school would be a more accessible refuge for their recovery.

Mohammed also noted his concerns about the distribution of relief materials at Kpegi Primary School, where many individuals who had not been affected managed to take most of what was meant for those in need.

Meanwhile, Fatima Liman, an octogenarian, was jolted and forced to keep awake by the rising floodwaters. She reflected on the incident with a sense of disbelief, saying, “I have spent many years in this community but have never encountered flooding of this magnitude. It is truly shocking to witness such devastation.”

Fatima recounted how the relentless rain led to widespread destruction, impacting numerous homes from its source to Ndayako, down to Mokwa. The sound of the flood was deafening, almost as if it were alive. Though they were grateful to have avoided loss of lives, the overwhelming surge of water swallowed their homes. She shared a particularly painful moment, explaining how she and others lined up for relief items during the vice president’s visit, only to leave empty-handed.

“I signed in and waited until I was exhausted; I returned home without anything,” she lamented, reflecting the deep sense of disappointment and loss that many people in the community are feeling.

Another victim, Fatima Jibrin Usman, who lost 18 family members, said that government assistance had not reached them at the time of this report. Most relief materials came from non-governmental organisations and generous individuals. She noted that sometimes, the relief supplies ended up in the hands of those who were not affected.

“On the day the vice president and other dignitaries came with relief materials, the same vehicle that brought them took them back without distributing the items. If they had shared the supplies that day, everyone would have benefitted, but they did not. Since the incident occurred, today is the ninth day, and the only government rice we have received was distributed once as it was packaged differently,” she lamented.  Fatima’s story reflects the experiences of many victims.

But in a recent statement, officials from the Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA) clarified the timeline of relief efforts. Shedding light on the confusion surrounding the distribution of aid materials, the acting director of NSEMA, Dr Ibrahim Audu Husaini, explained that the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) had initially provided food items in collaboration with the state government during the first phase of response, referred to as the “flag-off.” However, as they attempted to distribute these items in staggered stages, they faced significant challenges in accurately identifying the true victims of the disaster.

Dr Husaini noted that numerous individuals, many of who were not affected by the flood, gathered at the distribution sites, complicating the process. He emphasized the importance of revisiting the situation to ensure that aid reached those in genuine need, saying, “If we hadn’t gone back to secure these items and reassess the victims, they would have ended up in the wrong hands.”

Climate change perspective 

Asked about the underlying causes of the flood, Husaini expressed his views on climate change, approaching the issue with scientific reasoning rather than the mystical explanations some community members offered. He remarked on the local communities’ struggle to fully grasp the implications of climate change and pointed out that in this region of Africa, the severity of its effects is often underestimated.

“We are joking with climate change. That is why, when disasters occur, we tend to attribute them to mystical beliefs,” he said. He observed that many residents returned to flood-prone areas a year after year, clinging to their ancestral lands despite the dangers. The attachment is deep-rooted as families often have a long history in the area, with ancestors buried nearby, he declared.

Dr Husaini acknowledged the complexity of relocating these communities, particularly since many are farmers and fishermen. He explained that moving them to higher grounds would require them to adapt to entirely different professions, which poses an additional challenge. To address this issue, the Niger State Government is adopting a “two-aboard-solution” by identifying two resettlement sites relatively close to the original locations. This strategy allows residents to maintain their traditional activities while reducing the risks associated with flooding. The plan entails providing higher ground accommodations that are not far from their original homes, thereby allowing them to retain ownership of both properties.

He explained, “During intense rainfall, they will be able to move their belongings to the upper ground, and once the rains subside, they can return to their lower ground homes. This innovative solution aims to strike a balance between safety and cultural attachment to the land.”

Many victims of recent tragedies have been plunged into deep despair, having lost not only their homes but entire families. The emotional scars they carry make it challenging to engage them in conversation.

Theresa Pama, a specialist in water sanitation and hygiene with UNICEF, shared her observations during interviews with survivors. She noted that some individuals had withdrawn completely, choosing silence over expression, a reflection of their profound trauma. 

Pama emphasized that the circumstances these individuals face differ significantly from other similar cases she has managed in the country.

“This type of situation is undeniably traumatic. In response to the crisis, we have developed a comprehensive approach we refer to as integrated services. This initiative includes providing psychosocial support to those affected, an effort that is anticipated to unfold over several weeks.

“Moreover, we are particularly focused on supporting children who have lost their parents, ensuring they receive the specialised care necessary to help them heal and adapt. The trauma extends beyond just the young; many adults too are grappling with overwhelming distress. We have encountered women who haven’t spoken for three days, their silence a testament to the weight of their anguish. These individuals require careful attention, and we are committed to attending to their needs with compassion and urgency,” she said.

Aliyu Haruna Sani, the team lead of the Aspire Alliance For Niger State Youths, recently visited the flood-affected victims, bringing along vital supplies, such as clothing and food items to offer comfort during this difficult time.

With a sense of urgency, Sani expressed deep concern for the victims’ dire conditions, describing their plight as pathetic and emphasising the need for further support from the community and beyond.

In addition to their efforts, several other non-governmental organisations were mobilised to provide essential services to those impacted, demonstrating a collective commitment to aid the victims. Notably, the local host community played an invaluable role, with many selfless women stepping forward to prepare meals for the traumatized individuals, showcasing their compassion and willingness to help their neighbours in need.

In a significant response to the disaster, the federal government allocated N2 billion for the reconstruction and rehabilitation of homes devastated by the recent flooding. This pledge was made during a visit by Vice President Kashim Shettima, who represented President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

The vice president expressed solidarity with the victims and the wider community, reminding everyone that both federal and state governments have essential duties to fulfill in such crises. He reassured the public that measures would be put in place to address the pressing issues at hand.

Shettima highlighted the president’s instruction to expedite the restoration of Mokwa, particularly focusing on the urgent need to address the town’s drainage problems.

The vice president also revealed that the president had authorised an immediate release of funds, specifically N2 billion earmarked for relocation and construction of homes for those affected.

He also promised to provide a transformer through the Niger State Power Holding Company, responding to requests from traditional leaders in the region. Additionally, as part of the federal government’s relief efforts, a substantial donation of 20 trucks filled with food items was promised for the victims.

In a recent visit, the governor of Niger State, Mohammed Umar Bago, who had just returned from Saudi Arabia, donated an additional N8 billion. Of this, N7 billion is allocated for the immediate reconstruction of Mokwa to Rabba road while N1 billion is designated for the upkeep of the victims until their homes are reconstructed.

During an interview, Dr Ibrahim Audu Husaini reported that 206 deaths had been recorded and over 3,500 individuals displaced. The flooding also affected more than 400 houses and about 180 hectares of farmland. He noted that many victims had moved in with relatives, which creates additional challenges as caregivers now have to budget for larger households.

While climate change has contributed to increased rainfall, the flooding in Mokwa could have been prevented with better planning. Our investigation revealed that poor drainage systems in upstream communities, such as Ubegi, Tunga Sani and Ndayako significantly contributed to the severe flooding in Mokwa. Without proper drainage, water accumulates and flows downstream, putting pressure on low-lying areas like Mokwa and Rabba. This issue is further compounded by inadequate urban planning.

Weekend Trust reports that billions of naira have been allocated to Niger State to address the flooding. Development experts suggest that investing in modern drainage systems in Mokwa and surrounding communities is crucial. Additionally, proper urban planning and strict enforcement of environmental laws, including banning construction on waterways, are essential. Without these critical investments and actions, similar disasters are likely to recur in the future.