Two more bodies have been recovered beneath one of the bridges swept away by the devastating flood that hit Mokwa Local Government Area in Niger State, bringing the total death toll to 153.
The Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA) confirmed the update as of noon on Sunday.
According to the agency’s spokesperson, Husseini Ibrahim, the latest victims were discovered late Saturday and buried on Sunday morning.
“In Mokwa town alone, we have recorded 153 deaths, with 3,018 individuals affected, 503 households impacted, 11 people injured, and three bridges washed away,” Ibrahim said in a statement.
He added that in Ndayako community, no lives were lost, but 98 people and 58 houses were affected, impacting 17 households. In Raba, no fatalities were reported, although five houses were damaged and one bridge was destroyed.
Meanwhile, the Secretary to the State Government, Abubakar Usman, urged residents to remain calm and support the government’s response efforts.
He appealed to the public to avoid sensationalising the tragedy on social media and instead trust the government’s ongoing interventions for affected communities.
“This unfortunate disaster has affected numerous homes and individuals, and the government remains steadfast in its commitment to supporting affected families and communities. The Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA), in collaboration with local authorities and volunteers, continues to work around the clock to provide relief to the affected people.
“While we share in the pain of every family that has been affected, we urge members of the public to remain calm and sensitive in their communications, particularly on social media and other platforms. This is a time of mourning and collective grief for us as a state as spreading unverified or sensational information only adds to the sorrow and confusion already being experienced.
“The Government calls on all citizens to cooperate with relevant authorities and to trust in the ongoing response efforts. We also appeal to the conscience of all Nigerlites to prioritize unity, compassion, and factual reporting during this challenging time”, the statement read.
Concerns about the gridlock on the Bida-Mokwa-Jebba road have been abated as the road has been cleared, enabling the trailers and tankers to pass through.
A visit to Mokwa showed the road free and clear as trucks, trailers, and tankers could pass through, albeit slowly, as youths try to ensure that the process takes place without any of the vehicles getting struck.
Residents confirmed that there had been gridlock for some days due to the flood, the influx of people and the washing of one of the bridges but the youths of the town took to filling the gap of the broken bridge with sand to ensure effective passage of the vehicles.
“Yes, it is true. If you were here on Friday and yesterday afternoon, the hold-up was up to Bida. But the youths tried their best and ensured that the hold-up cleared. As you can see, the road is clear now”, Ndajiwo Aminu, a youth stated.
One of the roadside sellers of charcoal, Mustapha Ndagi said that they did not know what was done but all they saw was that as of 6pm on Saturday, several of the tankers and trailers had moved and before Sunday morning, all the vehicles struck for about three days had cleared the road, “the hold up was up to the Emir Palace in Bida from Mokwa but as you can see, all the road have been cleared and it is free now. It is surprising that three days of gridlock have been cleared.”
