Flooding in Nigeria’s Niger State has claimed at least 151 lives, marking one of the deadliest natural disasters to hit the region in recent months. The updated death toll was confirmed by Ibrahim Audu Hussaini, Director of Information at the Niger State Emergency Management Agency, in a statement to Reuters on Saturday.
The flooding, which began on Wednesday night and continued into Thursday morning in the central town of Mokwa, has displaced more than 3,000 residents and affected over 500 households. Rescue teams have continued to work through the weekend, combing through mud and collapsed structures in search of victims and survivors.
The tragedy underscores Nigeria’s growing vulnerability to seasonal flooding, a recurring crisis that intensifies with the annual rainy season, which starts in April. According to officials, the current disaster has severely impacted local infrastructure and forced families to seek shelter in temporary camps with limited access to clean water and medical aid.
This latest incident evokes grim memories of the catastrophic floods in 2022—widely regarded as Nigeria’s worst in over a decade—which resulted in over 600 deaths and displaced nearly 1.4 million people. That event also devastated the nation’s agricultural sector, destroying over 440,000 hectares of farmland.
Authorities have issued warnings that further rainfall is expected in the coming weeks, raising fears of more flooding in low-lying regions. Relief agencies are now appealing for urgent humanitarian assistance to support those affected, many of whom are in urgent need of food, shelter, and medical care.
