No fewer than 21 bodies have been recovered after a deadly flood swept through Mokwa Local Government Area in Niger State during the early hours of Tuesday. The midnight disaster, triggered by heavy rainfall, struck without warning, washing away homes, vehicles, and claiming multiple lives.
Local reports indicate that at least 50 houses were destroyed in the disaster, which particularly devastated the communities of Tiffin Maza and Anguwan Hausawa. Residents say the flood came suddenly, leaving many families trapped inside their homes.
One resident described the chaos: “We were all sleeping when water rushed into the house. There was shouting everywhere. People couldn’t get out in time.”
Emergency officials say rescue operations are still ongoing, with many people unaccounted for. Among the 21 confirmed dead are a woman and her two children. Others who sustained injuries are being treated at the Mokwa General Hospital.
Vehicles, including buses, private cars, and trucks, were caught in the rising waters. Stranded drivers and passengers struggled to navigate through the submerged roads. There were no immediate signs of emergency rescue teams during the early hours of the flood, leaving locals to rely on each other for help.
The Director General of the Niger State Emergency Management Agency confirmed the incident in a statement.
“There was a torrential downpour of very high intensity that lasted several hours, and the surging floodwaters submerged and washed away over 50 residential houses with their occupants,” the statement read.
The DG also noted that efforts are underway to search for more victims. “In response, the agency, in collaboration with the Mokwa Local Government Authority, local divers, and brave volunteers, are conducting search and rescue operations to recover survivors and bodies,” he said.
He added that three survivors, including a woman and her children, are receiving treatment for injuries and trauma at the Mokwa hospital.
