What Caused Deadly Mokwa Flood In Niger — Minister, Utsev

Cat:

Related stories

Full-Scale War Erupts: Iran Unleashes Counterstrikes on Israel

Oil Price May Hit $90 pb By Abiola Olawale The...

EFCC arraigns Sun Trust Bank MD, ED for alleged $12m fraud

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Friday,...

Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o belonged to an age of prophets – we must honour his teaching

Growing up in post-independence Nigeria in the 1970s, at...

Sowore Warns: Why I ‘ll Sue Tinubu If He Puts My Name on National Honours List

By Abiola Olawale Popular human rights activist and publisher Omoyele...

Airport Incident: My Story, By Adams Oshiomhole

His words: “I booked Air Peace… They delayed the...

By Kolawole Ojebisi

The Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Joseph Utsev, has attributed the deadly flooding that happened in Mokwa in Niger State to heavy rainfall due to extreme weather condition occasioned by climate change.

The minister maintained that the rainfall overwhelmed local drainage systems, stressing that the deadly incident could have been prevented but for lack of adherence by people in the state to flood warnings.

Utsev made the statement during a press conference held in Abuja on Tuesday, dismissing reports that water release from Kainji and Jebba Dams caused the Niger flooding and attendant deaths

He said, “The Federal Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation extends its heartfelt sympathy and solidarity to the government and the good people of Niger State, especially the affected communities in Mokwa, who have experienced losses, deaths and displacements as a result of this natural disaster.

“I like to emphasize that the flood was not caused by water releases from either the Kainji or Jebba dams and that both dams are intact and safe.

“We commend the immediate response efforts of the Niger State Government, local authorities, and first responders who have been working tirelessly to provide relief and support to the victims.

“The flood in Mokwa town was primarily caused by heavy rainfall due to extreme weather conditions occasioned by Climate change, an emerging Global Phenomenon which overwhelmed local drainage systems.

“Additionally, unregulated buildings and construction activities blocked an ephemeral tributary of River Dingi, a regressive river, a tributary of River Niger, which remains dry almost all year round with flows solely dependent on surface runoff by rainfall.

“The absence of efficient alternative pathways to redirect the excess water further worsened the flood’s impact on the communities

“Nigerians would recall that the Federal Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation through the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA) in the 2025 Annual Flood Outlook (AFO), on the 10th of April 2025 predicted flooding in 19 LGAs of Niger state including Mokwa LGA.”

He also referred to the report of 2025 AFO, which incidcated that 1,249 communities in 176 local government areas in 33 states and FCT fall within the High Flood Risk Areas, while 2,187 communities in 293 LGAs in 31 states of the federation, including the Federal Capital Territory falls within the Moderate Flood Risk Areas.

Quoting the AFO report, the minister stated that the High Flood Risk States are Abia, Adamawa, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Benue, Borno, Cross River, Delta, Ebonyi, Edo, Federal Capital Territory, Gombe, Imo, Jigawa, Kebbi, Kogi, Kwara, Lagos, Nasarawa, Niger, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, Oyo, Rivers, Sokoto, Taraba, Yobe, Zamfara.

“Let me take this opportunity to re-echo the key warnings and recommendations from the 2025 Annual Flood Outlook (AFO).

“We had urged and we are still urging states and local governments to act on these early warnings by: Strengthening drainage infrastructure; Relocating vulnerable communities from flood plains; Engaging in sustained public awareness campaigns; and enforcing land-use regulations to prevent encroachment into flood-prone areas,” he added.

According to the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), at least 153 people reportedly died following flooding on 29 May in Mokwa, Niger State, in north-central Nigeria.

Many people, among them children, are also missing while more than 3,000 people have been displaced.

The New Diplomat
The New Diplomathttps://newdiplomatng.com/
At The New Diplomat, we stand for ethical journalism, press freedom, accountable Republic, and gender equity. That is why at The New Diplomat, we are committed to speaking truth to power, fostering a robust community of responsible journalism, and using high-quality polls, data, and surveys to engage the public with compelling narratives about political, business, socio-economic, environmental, and situational dynamics in Nigeria, Africa, and globally.

Subscribe

- Never miss a story with notifications

- Gain full access to our premium content

- Browse free from up to 5 devices at once

[tds_leads input_placeholder="Your email address" btn_horiz_align="content-horiz-center" pp_msg="SSd2ZSUyMHJlYWQlMjBhbmQlMjBhY2NlcHQlMjB0aGUlMjAlM0NhJTIwaHJlZiUzRCUyMiUyMyUyMiUzRVByaXZhY3klMjBQb2xpY3klM0MlMkZhJTNFLg==" pp_checkbox="yes" tdc_css="eyJhbGwiOnsibWFyZ2luLXRvcCI6IjMwIiwibWFyZ2luLWJvdHRvbSI6IjQwIiwiZGlzcGxheSI6IiJ9LCJwb3J0cmFpdCI6eyJtYXJnaW4tdG9wIjoiMTUiLCJtYXJnaW4tYm90dG9tIjoiMjUiLCJkaXNwbGF5IjoiIn0sInBvcnRyYWl0X21heF93aWR0aCI6MTAxOCwicG9ydHJhaXRfbWluX3dpZHRoIjo3NjgsImxhbmRzY2FwZSI6eyJtYXJnaW4tdG9wIjoiMjAiLCJtYXJnaW4tYm90dG9tIjoiMzAiLCJkaXNwbGF5IjoiIn0sImxhbmRzY2FwZV9tYXhfd2lkdGgiOjExNDAsImxhbmRzY2FwZV9taW5fd2lkdGgiOjEwMTksInBob25lIjp7Im1hcmdpbi10b3AiOiIyMCIsImRpc3BsYXkiOiIifSwicGhvbmVfbWF4X3dpZHRoIjo3Njd9" display="column" gap="eyJhbGwiOiIyMCIsInBvcnRyYWl0IjoiMTAiLCJsYW5kc2NhcGUiOiIxNSJ9" f_msg_font_family="downtown-sans-serif-font_global" f_input_font_family="downtown-sans-serif-font_global" f_btn_font_family="downtown-sans-serif-font_global" f_pp_font_family="downtown-serif-font_global" f_pp_font_size="eyJhbGwiOiIxNSIsInBvcnRyYWl0IjoiMTEifQ==" f_btn_font_weight="700" f_btn_font_size="eyJhbGwiOiIxMyIsInBvcnRyYWl0IjoiMTEifQ==" f_btn_font_transform="uppercase" btn_text="Unlock All" btn_bg="#000000" btn_padd="eyJhbGwiOiIxOCIsImxhbmRzY2FwZSI6IjE0IiwicG9ydHJhaXQiOiIxNCJ9" input_padd="eyJhbGwiOiIxNSIsImxhbmRzY2FwZSI6IjEyIiwicG9ydHJhaXQiOiIxMCJ9" pp_check_color_a="#000000" f_pp_font_weight="600" pp_check_square="#000000" msg_composer="" pp_check_color="rgba(0,0,0,0.56)" msg_succ_radius="0" msg_err_radius="0" input_border="1" f_unsub_font_family="downtown-sans-serif-font_global" f_msg_font_size="eyJhbGwiOiIxMyIsInBvcnRyYWl0IjoiMTIifQ==" f_input_font_size="eyJhbGwiOiIxNCIsInBvcnRyYWl0IjoiMTIifQ==" f_input_font_weight="500" f_msg_font_weight="500" f_unsub_font_weight="500"]

Latest stories

NDN
Latest News
Full-Scale War Erupts: Iran Unleashes Counterstrikes on IsraelEFCC arraigns Sun Trust Bank MD, ED for alleged $12m fraudNgũgĩ wa Thiong’o belonged to an age of prophets – we must honour his teachingSowore Warns: Why I 'll Sue Tinubu If He Puts My Name on National Honours ListAirport Incident: My Story, By Adams OshiomholeIsrael vs Iran: Trump Talks Tough, Warns Iran to ‘Make a Deal Now!’Nigeria, Ghana, 51 Others Make List As China Announces Zero-Tariff Scheme for African CountriesSaraki Warns, Says National Assembly is RegressingBREAKING! Oil Prices Rise to $75 Per barrel As Iran-Israel Crisis WorsensOil Forecasters Rush to Revise Outlooks as Israel-Iran Conflict EscalatesUN Sec-Gen Guterres, Rubio, China, India Saudi Arabia, Others react to Israel's Deadly attacks on IranFG Orders Probe into Explosive Air Peace-Oshiomhole Airport Showdown[VIDEO] Air India's Plane Crash: Lone Survivor Finally Speaks, Narrates How Deadly Details Of CrashNetanyahu Vows to Crush Iran Over Nuclear Ambition, Unleashes Deadly StrikesA tribute to Uncle Sam at 90, By Azu Ishiekwene
X whatsapp