Govind Tekale
A devastating flash flood has claimed at least 151 lives in central Nigeria’s Mokwa town, leaving thousands homeless and destroying hundreds of houses. The disaster struck late Wednesday, May 28, into Thursday, May 29, 2025, following torrential rains in Niger State.
“We lost everything, the families. We don’t have anywhere else to go, the property has gone,” said Mohammed Tanko, a local resident. “We lost at least 15 from this house.”
As of June 1, 2025, rescue teams continue recovering bodies nearly 10 kilometers from Mokwa, with many victims believed to have been swept into the Niger River. Officials warn the death toll could rise further as hundreds remain missing. Gideon Adamu, head of the Red Cross in Niger State, confirmed on May 31 that “121 injured people were in hospital and over 100 were missing,” adding, “We can’t give up the search as long as there are families crying out.”
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The Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA) reported that at least 3,018 people have been displaced, though some sources suggest this figure could reach over 6,400 people across affected areas. The Tiffin Maza and Anguwan Hausawa districts of Mokwa were worst affected, with 265 houses “completely destroyed” in the floods.
Local district head Muhammad Shaba Aliyu noted the unprecedented nature of the disaster, saying “it has been 60 years since the community had suffered this kind of flooding.”
President Bola Tinubu has directed “all relevant emergency and security agencies to intensify ongoing search and rescue operations” and promised that “relief materials and temporary shelter assistance are being deployed without delay.”
However, survivors tell a different story about aid reaching those affected. “I escaped with only my nightdress. Right now, I can’t even identify where our home used to be,” one survivor recounted.
The floods have also destroyed critical infrastructure. A bridge linking northern and southwestern Nigeria has collapsed, leaving motorists stranded and complicating rescue efforts.
Local residents believe the disaster’s severity points to problems beyond rainfall alone. Many suggest that water releases from the Jebba Hydroelectric Power Station dam may have contributed to the flooding, as similar releases have caused at least six floods in the past, including an April 2025 incident that killed thirteen people. Officials have not confirmed this theory.
Climate experts point to deeper causes behind the disaster. Ugonna Nkwunonwo, a flood risk analyst at the University of Nigeria, told Al Jazeera that “flooding has become an annual event, between the months of April and October.”
“This flooding is a result of climate change, which is affecting the frequency and intensity of rainfall,” he explained. “The amount of rain you expect in a year could probably come in one or two months, and people are not prepared for that kind of rainfall.”
The situation remains dire as meteorologists warn of more rain in coming days. The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) had warned of possible flash floods in 15 of Nigeria’s 36 states, including Niger, from May 29-31. Nigeria’s rainy season typically runs from April to October.
This disaster follows Nigeria’s catastrophic 2022 floods that killed more than 600 people, displaced around 1.4 million, and destroyed 440,000 hectares of farmland.
As rescue operations continue, the immediate needs for food, shelter, and medical care remain urgent priorities for thousands of affected families in Mokwa and surrounding areas.
