In response to the catastrophic floods that struck Mokwa and surrounding areas in Niger State, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has dispatched a high-powered Federal Government delegation to commiserate with the victims and assess the extent of the damage.
The floods claimed numerous lives, displaced thousands, and left widespread destruction in their wake, including the loss of homes, roads, and bridges.
The delegation, led by the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, and the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Prof. Nentawe Goshwe Yilwatda, was received in Minna by the Deputy Governor of Niger State, Mr. Yakubu Garba.
During the courtesy visit, Idris delivered President Tinubu’s message of condolence, describing the President’s deep concern over the disaster.
“We are here on the directive of Mr President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to come and see the people of Niger State particularly the Governor and officials of the state government, to commiserate with you; to sympathize and empathize with you on what has happened in Mokwa Local Government Area,” Idris stated.
“Mr President is personally saddened by this and yesterday he directed that every available resource of the Federal Government should be deployed to Mokwa and that’s why you are seeing me in the company of my brother, the Minister of Humanitarian Affair.”
The Minister confirmed that the National Emergency Management Agency had already completed a thorough evaluation of the situation and activated emergency relief operations.
“We are aware that they, NEMA, have been collaborating with the state government to ensure seamless operations. They also ensured that those who have lost their lives; were respectfully recovered; those who have sustained various degrees of injuries, attended to and every requirement that the government needs to put together is in place to ensure succour is being provided for those our brothers and sisters in Mokwa,” he added.
Highlighting the federal government’s broader concern, Idris noted that the President is particularly alarmed by the recurrence of such disasters, referencing similar flooding incidents in the previous year.
“This is also a call to our people to take this as a warning against future occurrences, especially all those living around the areas where this kind of disaster is prone to happen,” he said.
To prevent future tragedies, President Tinubu has tasked the National Orientation Agency with ramping up public awareness campaigns in vulnerable areas.
Idris praised the Niger State Government for its quick mobilization in response to the flooding and acknowledged the need for a more proactive approach to disaster preparedness and community education.
Also speaking, Prof. Yilwatda emphasized the federal government’s ongoing commitment to those displaced by the floods.
He revealed that the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons has been instructed to take over from NEMA in delivering sustained support to the affected populations.
In his remarks, Deputy Governor Garba expressed deep appreciation for the timely federal intervention, which he said reflected the Tinubu administration’s dedication to citizen welfare during emergencies.
He disclosed that 151 bodies have been recovered and buried, with over 3,000 individuals displaced.
A total of 503 households and 264 homes were impacted, while three major bridges and several township roads were destroyed, significantly hampering movement within Mokwa and Raba.
Garba described the situation as one of profound sorrow for the people of Niger State, as the community comes to terms with the scale of the tragedy.
