Several people have reported died and properties destroyed as a heavy flood swept through Mokwa town, headquarters of Mokwa Local Government Area of Niger State.
Residents reported that the road linking the northern and southern parts of Nigeria through Mokwa has also been cut off by the flood.
Although details remain sketchy, some residents estimated that as many as 50 people may have died.
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Mostly affected, it was learnt, were women and children with some still missing.
A heavy rainfall which lasted for several hours on Wednesday night, caused the submerging of homes and sweeping away residents who were sleeping.
A resident, Mohammed Usman, said several bodies had already been recovered from the water, but many others remain unaccounted for, especially in areas where houses were completely submerged.
The Director of Information and Special Duties at the Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA), Dr. Ibrahim Audu Hussaini, confirmed the flood.
He said he was still determining the extent of the disaster and would make his findings known in due course.
This is coming days after a Catholic priest, Reverend Father James Omeh, parish priest of St. Anthony’s Catholic Church in Gulu, Lapai Local Government Area, alongside his passenger, reportedly died after being swept away by strong floodwater.
The deceased, who was also coordinator of the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, in Lapai LGA, travelling in his Hilux vehicle, arrived at the collapsed bridge on the Lapai-Gulu Road, which had been destroyed by torrential rainfall the previous night.
It was gathered that Father Omeh tried to make a U-turn to head towards Duma village; however, his Hilux vehicle was overwhelmed by the strong floodwaters from the collapsed bridge.
Despite his efforts, the priest and his passenger, identified as Charity John, were swept away in the vehicle they were travelling in.
Their bodies were later recovered with the help of local volunteers and the Sarkin Ruwa (King of Water) from a nearby village.
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Sources from the community said the Lapai-Gulu Road, where the incident occurred, has been a major concern for the community due to its poor condition.
They explained that members of the community have been calling on the government to urgently intervene to prevent further accidents.
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