A late-night flood has left the Mokwa Local Government Area of Niger State reeling in grief after heavy waters swept through two major communities Tiffin Maza and Anguwan Hausawa on Wednesday night, May 28.
According to officials, at least 21 people have been confirmed dead, but locals claim the number could be far higher.
Among the worst-hit victims was a single family that lost 12 members in the disaster.
According to eyewitnesses and community leaders, the destruction was swift and devastating.
Entire homes were submerged, and more than 50 almajirai students in local Quranic schools remain missing.
Houses were destroyed beyond recognition, and several buildings collapsed, leaving behind piles of rubble and unanswered questions.
One of the victims, Binta, a student of the Niger State College of Health Technology, was said to be in Mokwa for the holiday.
Her body was recovered after the flood.
In a deeply emotional account, a resident, Hajiya Hassana Mokwa, said her brother’s home was completely wiped out.
“In my brother’s house, they were 13 in number and only one person survived and is currently at the hospital,” she said.
She further explained that “many almajirai pupils in a Quranic school being operated by our cousin also died.
Nobody survived in that house and the entire building was submerged. If you go there now, you won’t know if they ever built a house there.”
Hajiya Hassana continued, “There is a one-storey building which was a residential building. It was completely submerged.
As I speak with you, nobody has ascertained the number of people in the rubbles of that building.”
According to her, funerals were already ongoing for the recovered bodies as of Thursday evening.
Moreover, another resident, Mallam Hamza Mahmud, confirmed that two members of his family had been found dead, while three remained unaccounted for.
“The number of people who died were over 60,” he said in a tired voice.
The body of a pregnant woman was among those pulled from the waters. Four of her children are still missing.
In addition, more than 50 Quranic students are yet to be found, increasing the level of concern and pain across the town.
A local elder, Alhaji Baba Adamu, shared his fears over the situation.
“The victims are mostly women and children. There are male adults, but they are not up to the number of women and children who died,”he explained.
He added, “The body of a woman was recovered around 6pm. There is also a Quranic school where most of the pupils have not been found.”
Therefore, the Niger State flood has not only exposed how vulnerable rural communities remain but also how neglected emergency structures are in times of crisis.
Mokwa is a critical town due to its role as a rest stop for travelers and cargo trucks.
Yet, in times of disaster, help often arrives too late or not at all.
Meanwhile, the Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA) confirmed 21 deaths, but the local reports insist the actual death toll is likely over 60.
