The Senate has called on the Federal Government to investigate the Mokwa flood and floods in other parts of the country with a view to providing long-term solutions, including improved and sustainable flood control infrastructure and early warning systems to forestall future occurrence.
By Haruna Salami
The Senate has called on the Federal Government to investigate the Mokwa flood and floods in other parts of the country with a view to providing long-term solutions, including improved and sustainable flood control infrastructure and early warning systems to forestall future occurrence.
This was sequel to the consideration of a motion on “catastrophic flood disaster in Mokwa Niger State: Need for proactive action to forestall future occurrence” sponsored by Senator Peter Jiya (Niger South).
The Senate noted that on Thursday, 29th and Friday, 30th May, 2025, a devastating flood swept through the town of Mokwa in Niger State, after a heavy rainfall, resulting in unprecedented loss of lives and widespread destruction of private and public properties worth more than N10 billion.
“Also notes from the casualties recorded from the disaster that over 700 people lost their lives including pupils from Four (4) Islamic Schools but only about 300 bodies were physically accounted for, while many were buried under muds and uncountable numbers swept away into River Niger, over 350 persons injured, about 1800 homes destroyed and 3,000 residents displaced, about 3,354 people in the IDP camp(s); On the whole not less than 9,560 people were affected by the flood;
The Senate in its resolution further urge the Federal Government to prioritize prompt execution of the relief packages promised during the visit of the Vice President, Kashim Shettima.
“Also urge the Federal Government to, as a matter of urgency, direct all relevant authorities to resettle people living along both active and inactive river paths and banks, water channels and erosion-prone areas as well as intensify efforts to provide additional food and other relief materials, such as medical care, temporary shelters and clean water to the victims of the flood;
“Mandate the Joint Committee on Works; Housing, and Urban Development and Water Resources to visit the affected communities to carry out on-the-spot assessment of the disaster as well as monitor implementation of FGN relief packages and report back to the Senate; and
That the Federal Government should dredge the River Niger as a permanent solution to flooding.
The red chamber observe the usual “one minute silence in honour of the victims that lost their lives in the flood”.
Throwing more light, Senator Jiya said he “deemed it necessary to raise the motion to once again bring it to the conscience or consciousness of the nation, the tragic event that took place on that fateful day in Mokwa town”.
We cannot say that we were not forewarned by NIMET that there would be flooding in various parts of the country with Niger states being one of those states. I would like to appeal at this point for the government at the national level to implement fully, totally, and completely the pledges they have made to alleviate the sufferings of the people.
In the resettlement of those who will be moved out of water way, Jiya said “Niger State has the biggest land size in the country and so relocating them, certainly, will not be a problem as to finding other areas of the town to locate them.