Death Toll in Tragic Niger Flood Rises to 200, Over 500 Still Missing

A tragic flood disaster that struck Mokwa town in Niger State’s Mokwa Local Government Area last Wednesday has now claimed over 200 lives, with more than 500 individuals still unaccounted for.

The flood, believed to be the most severe in six decades, ravaged the Tiffin Maza and Anguwan Hausawa districts after intense overnight rainfall. Entire neighbourhoods were destroyed, leaving hundreds without homes.

According to a report by the BBC on Tuesday, the number of confirmed fatalities has surpassed 200. 

Authorities fear that many more are still missing, including women, children, and numerous Quranic school students.

Musa Kimboku, a local government official, told the BBC that search operations had been halted as there was no longer hope of finding survivors.

The traditional leader of Mokwa, Muhammadu Aliyu, disclosed that the government might begin recovering buried corpses soon to prevent health outbreaks. 

“Some bodies cannot be retrieved because they were carried off by the River Niger,” he said.

Heartbreaking testimonies from residents reflect the disaster’s impact. Adamu Yusuf, who lost his wife and infant, said: “I watched helplessly as water washed away my family. I survived because I could swim.”

Another resident, Saliu Sulaiman, lamented: “I lost at least $1,500 to the floods. It was the proceeds from the sale of my farm produce the previous day. I contemplated going back into the room to get it, but the pressure of the water scared me.”

Though some locals suspect a nearby dam failure may have intensified the flood, the government has yet to confirm the claim. 

Reports also suggest that bodies were found as far away as Rabba, roughly an hour’s drive from Mokwa.

Kimboku noted that nearby communities were instructed to bury any corpses found. “We told neighbouring villages to bury any corpse that they find,” he stated.

Agence France-Presse quoted Danjuma Shaba, a fisherman who lost his home: “I don’t have a house to sleep in. My house has already collapsed.”

Farida Auwalu, who is the only surviving member of her 16-person family, said she had already buried four of her seven deceased children. 

“My hope is to see the remaining bodies and give them a decent burial and have closure,” she told reporters.

Survivors have also expressed frustration over the lack of assistance. Hassan Umar said to Al Jazeera: “No one brought any money or food to help the victims. As you can see, many don’t have a place to sleep.”

Local media reported that a major bridge linking Koshaba and Raba, about 7km from Mokwa town, was swept away. Several bodies were retrieved at the point where the floodwater met the River Niger.

Alhaji Tanko Bala, the leader of the Hausa community in Mokwa, told Daily Trust that most victims are sleeping outdoors due to the absence of proper shelter. 

“Nobody goes to the primary school which the government set aside as a camp for the IDPs. It is only Almajirai that has moved there. The place is not habitable,” he said. 

“If the government wants to help the victims genuinely, they should come forward and provide them with sleeping materials. People sleep on the bare floor.”