NSEMA records 300 fatalities from disasters

The House of Representatives, yesterday, raised the alarm over the possible outbreak of communicable diseases such as cholera, typhoid fever and Acute Watery Diarrhoea (AWD) among thousands of victims of the Mokwa flood, which resulted in the death of about 500 people and over 600 missing persons.

Meanwhile, the state government said that in less than one year, it was overwhelmed with disasters, ranging from the Diko tanker explosion that claimed 80 lives in Suleja, another in Agaie that killed 60 and the recent Mokwa flood that claimed 207 lives, among others.

The House resolution was passed sequel to the adoption of a motion of urgent public importance on the devastating flooding, leading to loss of lives and property in Mokwa in Niger State and Edu Local Government in Kwara State, sponsored by Joshua Gana and Saba Umaru.

In his lead debate, Gana observed that in late May 2025, Niger and Kwara experienced one of their devastating floods in decades, particularly affecting Mokwa town and farmlands in Kwara.

He said: “The House further notes that the disaster resulted in over 500 confirmed deaths, with more than 600 people still missing and presumed dead. At least 200 others were injured, and over 4,000 houses were destroyed.

“It also notes and commend the magnanimity of President Bola Tinubu, who donated N2 billion through the Vice President; the Governor of Niger, who also donated N1 billion, NGOs and well-meaning Nigerians for their contributions and support to ameliorate the plight of the flood victims in Niger.”

According to him, the House is disturbed that there is a heightened risk of disease outbreak in the affected areas. The House urged the federal government, through the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), to provide relief materials, including water purification equipment, to prevent disease outbreaks in the affected communities.

The Director-General, Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA), Abdullahi Arah, in a statement issued to newsmen in Minna, noted that the agency was able to respond quickly to various emergency incidents.

Arah also highlighted various interventions by the Governor Mohammed Bago-led administration within the period and applauded the governor, traditional institutions, community leaders, volunteers and humanitarian partners for their unwavering support in building a safer and more resilient state.

The DG also hinted that NSEMA had mobilised resources, deployed response teams, and collaborated with local council authorities and humanitarian partners to provide relief materials and temporary shelter for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) from flooding and banditry attacks.

While assuring the agency’s resoluteness in its mission to respond swiftly to emergencies and disasters effectively, he revealed that the agency had stockpiled relief materials at strategic locations across the state for ease of access. The NSEMA boss urged all residents of the state to remain vigilant, comply with safety advisories, and report emergencies promptly.

Meanwhile, the bodies of a boy and a nine-year-old girl were discovered in a drainage after a heavy downpour in Minna on Tuesday. Initially, residents of the Tunga community in the state capital had thought the flood carried only the girl whose parents were said to hail from Edo State, until the girl’s father was contacted to identify his daughter and discovered that a young male child was also killed in the floods.