Over 300 communities in Niger State’s Mokwa Local Government Area have been flooded, displacing around five million residents, mostly women and children according to a Channels news report.
This has caused major disruptions as many locals have fled to higher ground, converting schools into makeshift camps for internally displaced persons.
The flood has also resulted in a severe water shortage, as sources of clean water have been contaminated. Health conditions are worsening, with fears of disease outbreaks rising.
Residents like Aishatu Yaya have expressed concerns about the lack of proper government assistance, claiming that support packages do not always reach them.
Children in these affected communities will miss weeks, or possibly months, of school as their schools have been turned into shelters.
The floods have also damaged healthcare facilities, making it difficult to care for the displaced families.
Farmlands have been destroyed, causing major losses for farmers. This has raised serious concerns for Nigeria’s food security.
Audu Yaware, a farmer and community leader in Jifu village, spoke about the double blow the community faces, with the rising cost of living due to increased fuel prices and now the devastating floods.
Council chairman Abdullahi Muregi of Mokwa Local Government confirmed that while no lives were lost, homes, properties, and farmlands were severely affected.
He called on the government and aid organizations for urgent help, saying that the situation had overwhelmed the local government.
