Mokwa Floods: Over 200 Dead, Thousands Displaced But What Is Government Doing About Nigeria’s Growing Flood Crisis?
As the rains return across Nigeria, the people of Mokwa in Niger State are still counting their dead. On May 29, a catastrophic flood tore through the town, killing at least 206 people, displacing over 3,500, and reducing hundreds of homes to rubble. Survivors are still in shock but beyond the horror, a troubling question looms:
What exactly is the Nigerian government doing to prevent the next flood disaster?
For decades, seasonal floods have killed, displaced, and impoverished Nigerians with alarming regularity. But the Mokwa tragedy stands out not only for its scale, but because many experts say it was entirely avoidable.
“We Had No Escape” Survivors Tell of Horror
Faridah Ishaq, a 36-year-old mother of six, now lives in a makeshift refugee camp. Her husband, co-wife, children, and four stepchildren were swept away in the torrent. She alone survived—clinging to a cluster of trees that slowed the flood’s rage.
“We had no route for an escape,” she recalled. “I went back inside with my children, confused. In seconds, the flood took them all.”
Her grief is echoed across Mokwa, where locals describe a flood of unprecedented fury. The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) confirmed the figures: over 200 lives lost, more than 3,500 displaced, and at least 400 homes destroyed. Yet, even weeks later, the humanitarian response remains fragmented.
From Forests to Floods: How Fear of Crime Sparked Environmental Collapse
What led to the flood? Ironically, it began with another crisis rising insecurity.
Residents, frustrated by the use of local cashew forests by criminal gangs as hideouts, began to clear vast swathes of tree cover. An estimated 2,000 cashew trees were felled in a desperate bid to drive out killers and motorcycle thieves. What they didn’t anticipate was that this act would remove the town’s natural flood barriers.
“After we saw the body of a pregnant woman in the forest, the community decided to clear it completely,” said Mohammed Abdullahi, a social welfare officer in Mokwa. “We wanted security, but we didn’t realize the environmental cost.”
Satellite data confirms the scale of deforestation. Between February and March 2025—just months before the flood—Global Forest Watch recorded 67 deforestation alerts in Mokwa.
Environmental experts say this deforestation removed the town’s last line of defense. Rainfall runoff, previously absorbed and slowed by trees, now surged freely, breaking through a railway dyke and flooding densely populated neighborhoods like Tiffin Maza and Anguwar Hausawa.
A Preventable Disaster? Experts Think So
Mokwa-based geologist and environmentalist Kasim Audu insists the tragedy was “a warning sign” of deeper failures.
“Cutting down trees across every part of Mokwa is a major factor,” he said. “This flood was not just caused by rain it was caused by bad decisions.”
This sentiment is shared by many. While Nigeria’s annual rainy season is no surprise, the country continues to suffer avoidable disasters year after year. In 2022, floods affected 33 out of 36 states, killing over 600 people. In 2024, a dam failure in Maiduguri left 4,000 displaced. In each case, the question resurfaces: Where is the national plan for flood resilience?
Billions Promised, But Relief Is Slow and Uneven
Government officials were quick to announce aid. Within two weeks of the Mokwa flood, over ₦3 billion in donations and relief materials were reportedly pledged. Niger State Governor Mohammed Bago visited the town, promising ₦7 billion for housing resettlement and bridge repairs.
“We’ll resettle all victims and rebuild Rabba Bridge,” he said.
But on the ground in Kpege camp, survivors like Farida Ishaq say they’ve seen little. Aid is trickling in slowly. Families still sleep under tarps. Food is scarce. Many victims say they’ve received no funds or help.
“I am alive, but I don’t know for how long,” said Mrs. Ishaq, staring at the clouds. “The rain is coming again.”
Adamu Yusuf, who lost his wife and 43-day-old daughter, now stands on the empty plot where his house once stood.
“I survived because I could swim,” he said. “But I couldn’t save my family. I lost seven people.”
Is the Government Taking the Crisis Seriously Enough?
While the state government has initiated rebuilding plans including issuing Certificates of Occupancy and mobilizing housing construction experts say much more is needed.
Floods in Nigeria are no longer “natural disasters.” They are policy failures.
There is no visible national reforestation plan. No enforced environmental zoning. No long-term public awareness campaign on flood risks. And no coordinated flood defense strategy like those seen in flood-prone countries such as Bangladesh or the Netherlands.
Instead, most government responses are reactive: condolence visits, press conferences, and short-term aid. But the communities need proactive resilience.
“Donors have offered help,” said Mr. Abdullahi, the social welfare officer. “Some of those resources should go into tree planting. Otherwise, we will be back here again next year.”
The Time to Act Was Yesterday
As Nigeria stares down another rainy season, Mokwa stands as a grim symbol of what happens when security fears, environmental ignorance, and government inaction collide.
If 206 lives in one town can be lost in a single flood, and thousands displaced with little warning, what will it take for the government to act decisively?
Until a sustainable national flood management plan is implemented combining environmental protection, infrastructure, and early warning systems the next tragedy is only a storm away.
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