MOKWA, Nigeria —
A small town in central Nigeria is reeling after floods swept through homes, farms, and entire communities, leaving behind scenes of ruin and heartbreak.
More than 200 people are confirmed dead. At least 500 remain missing.
Locals say it all happened in a matter of hours.
“It was like the river exploded,” said Adamu Yusuf, standing near what used to be his home. “I watched helplessly as water washed away my wife and our newborn baby. I only survived because I could swim.”
His voice shook, but his words were clear. “There was nothing I could do.”
The floods hit Mokwa, a town in Niger State, on Thursday after relentless rain battered the region. Officials say it’s the worst flooding the area has seen in 60 years. Entire neighbourhoods like Tiffin Maza and Anguwan Hausawa were flattened.
Rescue Operations Called Off
Local officials now fear there’s little hope left.
“Rescue efforts have stopped,” Musa Kimboku, Mokwa’s Deputy Vice-Chairman, told reporters. “We no longer believe anyone else can be found alive.”
He added that villages downriver had been asked to bury any bodies they find.
Some victims were discovered as far away as Rabba, nearly an hour’s drive from the flood zone. Authorities believe they were swept there by the powerful current of the River Niger.
District head Muhammadu Aliyu said some remains may never be recovered. “Many have gone through the river. We may never find them.”
In a grim turn, officials plan to exhume buried bodies to prevent outbreaks of disease.
Survivors Left With Nothing
For survivors, the aftermath is just as cruel.
“I lost at least $1,500,” said Saliu Sulaiman, a farmer who had just sold his harvest. “It was everything I earned. I wanted to run back into the house for it, but the water was too strong.”
Families now crowd makeshift shelters, some with nothing more than the clothes they escaped in.
There are also growing questions among locals about the cause. Some suspect a nearby dam may have burst, triggering the deluge. But no official confirmation has been given.
Relief Efforts Begin
The Nigerian Red Cross called it a “significant loss of life and widespread distress” in a statement released Friday.
The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has started handing out relief supplies. Roads and bridges in the region have been washed out, cutting off communities and choking the local economy.
Aid is trickling in, but many say it’s too slow. “We need food, water, blankets,” said one resident. “We’ve lost everything.”
A Deadly Pattern
Floods during Nigeria’s rainy season—from April to October—are nothing new. But this level of destruction is rare.
In 2022, more than 600 people died in floods across Nigeria. Over a million were forced from their homes.
This year’s disaster in Mokwa has revived fears that climate extremes are worsening—and that infrastructure and preparedness are not keeping up.
There is little comfort for families who’ve lost so much.
“I don’t know where to start,” said Adamu Yusuf, looking over the muddy remains of his compound. “My life is buried under this mud.”
