ABUJA, Nigeria — Severe flooding caused by intense rainfall devastated parts of north-central Nigeria on Thursday, killing at least 21 people and leaving more than 10 others missing, according to state emergency officials. The disaster struck Mokwa town in Niger State, where over 50 homes were submerged or swept away by surging floodwaters during a night of unrelenting downpour.
The Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA) confirmed the tragedy early Thursday, stating that floodwaters overwhelmed the communities of Tiffin Maza and Anguwan Hausawa during the overnight rainfall, submerging residential buildings and trapping occupants inside.
“NSEMA is in receipt of a report of a deadly flood disaster that ravaged two communities of Tiffin Maza and Anguwan Hausawa in Mokwa town,” said Abdullahi Baba-Arah, the agency’s director general. “The incident occurred last night during a torrential rain of very high intensity that lasted several hours. The surging floodwaters submerged and washed away more than 50 homes with their occupants.”
As of Thursday evening, 21 bodies had been recovered and search operations were ongoing to locate over 10 people still missing, Baba-Arah said. Emergency workers, assisted by local government authorities, volunteer divers, and courageous civilians, mounted an intensive search and rescue operation amid debris and floodwater.
Among the survivors, a woman and her two children were rescued and are receiving treatment at the Mokwa General Hospital for wounds and shock, officials added.
The flooding tragedy coincided with the second anniversary of Niger State Governor Mohammed Bago’s administration, casting a somber tone over what was intended to be a celebratory day. Instead, the governor’s office is now coordinating emergency relief and support efforts for the flood-affected communities.
Niger State has long been vulnerable to seasonal flooding, with Nigeria’s rainy season typically beginning in April and intensifying through the middle of the year. But this week’s rainfall, officials said, reached a particularly devastating volume and intensity, triggering rapid floods that gave residents little time to react or evacuate.
Beyond the tragic loss of life, the flood caused extensive property damage, displacing dozens of families and destroying livelihoods in the rural Mokwa area. Emergency responders reported that entire households were swept away while residents slept, underscoring the unpredictability and danger of extreme weather in the region.
“There was panic and chaos as the water levels rose overnight,” said an official involved in the response. “People were trapped in their homes, some climbed trees or rooftops, while others were simply overwhelmed.”
Though climate experts have warned of increasing flood risks in Nigeria due to changing weather patterns and poor drainage infrastructure, many local communities remain unprepared and under-resourced to deal with such disasters.
NSEMA and local officials said rescue and recovery operations would continue through the night and into the coming days, as efforts persist to locate the missing and provide aid to the displaced. The state government is expected to announce relief packages and temporary housing solutions for survivors as damage assessments proceed.
Governor Bago’s administration has pledged emergency support, while national officials have urged citizens in flood-prone regions to remain alert as the rainy season progresses. With many rural Nigerian communities lacking flood defenses or early-warning systems, the country continues to grapple with the escalating toll of climate-driven disasters.
