Hussaini Kafi in Kano
The death toll from devastating overnight floods in Mokwa, Niger State, has surged to 56, with dozens still missing and hundreds displaced, AHR has gathered.
The tragedy struck Friday after torrential rains overwhelmed the town, located at the crossroads of three major highways in central Nigeria.
AHR earlier reports that 20 people were killed and 50 people, homes and shops, submerged.
Updated assessments from rescue teams and local officials now confirm significantly higher casualties and damage.
Speaking to AHR, Habibu Wushishi, spokesman for the Niger State Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management, said search and rescue operations are ongoing, and emergency camps have been established for affected families. “We are doing everything possible to find survivors and provide support,” he said.
Mokwa, a bustling trade hub drawing buyers from neighboring villages, has been left in ruins. Entire buildings were flattened by fast-moving floodwaters. “We had to knock on people’s doors, but it was too late.
The water was everywhere,” said Umar Jamil, a shopkeeper who lost both his business and several neighbors in the flood.
Witnesses described scenes of horror, with bodies floating in waterlogged streets and residents wading through waist-deep water in search of missing loved ones.
Though officials had predicted some level of flooding this rainy season, they did not expect Mokwa—located away from major rivers—to be among the worst hit.
Residents, however, blame government negligence and slow response to early warning signs.
“This flood didn’t just happen,” Jamil said. “We warned them. Now our town is destroyed.”
Flooding during Nigeria’s rainy season, which lasts from April to October, has worsened in recent years, with experts citing climate change as a contributing factor.
Authorities have urged residents to remain alert as rain forecasts continue into the weekend.
