President Bola Tinubu has approved the immediate release of N2 billion for the reconstruction of homes destroyed by the devastating flood disaster in Mokwa, Niger State. The President also directed the delivery of 20 truckloads of food items to affected residents, as part of federal government relief efforts.
Vice President Kashim Shettima announced the intervention on Wednesday during a condolence visit to Mokwa town in Mokwa Local Government Area. The visit followed the tragic flood incident on May 28, which claimed at least 158 lives and displaced over 5,000 residents, now taking refuge in internally displaced persons (IDP) camps.
“The president specifically instructed me to come to Mokwa to commiserate with the people over the tragedy that befell the town. His heart is with the grieving people of Mokwa,” Shettima said.
He assured that all concerns raised by the victims would be addressed in collaboration with the Niger State Government. He also disclosed that President Tinubu had directed the Ministers of Environment and Agriculture (State) to relocate to Niger State to begin urgent interventions under the Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes (ACReSAL) project, particularly to tackle drainage challenges in Mokwa.
Shettima commended the proactive efforts of the Niger State Deputy Governor and the Director General of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) in responding to the disaster.
Speaking at the event, Deputy Governor Yakubu Garba appealed for urgent federal support, highlighting the dire impact of the disaster. He noted that over 2,000 houses were destroyed, while economic activities had ground to a halt due to collapsed bridges, especially affecting the Rabba axis.
“Students can no longer commute to Mokwa when it rains, and four bridges have collapsed. We need these fixed urgently,” Garba stated, adding that the state government has land available to resettle displaced residents if the federal government supports housing reconstruction.
In his remarks, the Etsu Nupe, Alhaji Yahaya Abubakar, urged the federal government to revive stalled infrastructure projects across the state. He cited the abandoned Mokwa town bypass project, halted due to compensation issues, and called for the completion of critical roads including Mokwa-Birnin Gwari-Kaduna, Lambata-Bida, Bida-Patigi, and Agaie-Match Boro roads.
The traditional ruler also called for the deployment of an ecological team to address persistent environmental challenges in the town, while appreciating President Tinubu for personally sending the Vice President to visit the community.
Similarly, the Village Head of Mokwa, Alhaji Mohammed Aliyu (Ndalile of Mokwa), expressed gratitude to the federal government for its swift response and support to the affected population.
Meanwhile, the federal government has raised an alarm that 30 states, including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), are currently at high risk of flooding this year. States listed include Abia, Adamawa, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Benue, Borno, Cross River, Delta, Ebonyi, Edo, Gombe, Imo, Jigawa, Kebbi, Kogi, Kwara, Lagos, Nasarawa, Niger, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, Oyo, Rivers, Sokoto, Taraba, Yobe, Zamfara, and the FCT.
The warning follows forecasts by relevant agencies, urging state and local governments to intensify preparedness and mitigation strategies to prevent further loss of life and property.
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