The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has sent officials to 15 high-risk states to educate residents about upcoming floods and urge them to move away from flood-prone areas.
This follows the tragic flooding in Mokwa, Niger State, where over 200 people died and hundreds are missing. Victims lived in gully areas and were caught off guard despite official warnings.
The flood hit Mokwa, a major commercial town in Niger State, on 23rd May. Many victims had built their homes in gully areas prone to floods. This was reportedly the sixth flood in Niger State this year – in April, water from dams destroyed over 5,000 farms in 30 communities.
Nigeria’s rainy season runs from April to October. Niger State, the country’s largest by land area, houses three major dams that provide much of Nigeria’s electricity.
Read Also: Nigeria should fence its borders for security, says defence chief
NEMA’s Manzo Ezekiel explained: “Although Mokwa was identified as one of the local government areas that were at risk of being flooded, the magnitude at which it occurred was unprecedented. If you visit the location where the flooding happened, you will see that the houses were built in a big gully.”
He also stressed that all communities must stay alert: “Every community needs to be on alert and take the necessary steps to forestall flooding in its area.”
The Minister of Water Resources, Joseph Utsev, clarified that the dams didn’t cause the flooding. Instead, he blamed heavy rainfall due to climate change that overwhelmed local drainage systems, plus illegal buildings that blocked water pathways.
“The flood in Mokwa town was primarily caused by heavy rainfall due to extreme weather conditions occasioned by Climate change… Additionally, unregulated buildings and construction activities blocked an ephemeral tributary of River Dingi,” he said.
Niger State Emergency Management Agency confirmed the death toll has risen to 160, including two children found buried under tree debris.
NEMA Director-General Zubaida Umar arrived at the flood site within 24 hours. The agency has deployed advocacy teams to all 36 states and the FCT, providing first aid training and evacuation procedures.
According to the 2025 Annual Flood Outlook, 1,249 communities in 176 Local Government Areas across 33 states and the FCT are in High Flood Risk Areas. These states include Abia, Adamawa, Bayelsa, Benue, Delta, FCT, Kogi, Lagos, Niger, Rivers, and 21 others.
