… as emergency teams intensify search
Tragedy has struck Niger State as the death toll from the catastrophic flash flood that swept through parts of the North-Central region has soared to 115, with rescue officials warning that the number could rise even further.
Triggered by hours of relentless rainfall between Wednesday night and early Thursday, the massive flood caught many residents off guard, submerging homes, displacing communities, and sweeping victims into the River Niger.
The spokesman for the Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA), Ibrahim Hussaini, confirmed the grim update to reporters in Minna on Friday.
“We have so far recovered 115 bodies, and more are expected to be found,” Hussaini stated.
“The floodwaters came from distant locations and carried people into the River Niger. Bodies are still being recovered downstream.”
He added that 21 people had been confirmed dead on Thursday and 10 others remain missing, but the figures spiked dramatically as search-and-rescue operations intensified. Some of the recovered bodies were found in the rubble of collapsed homes.
“Excavators are now needed to retrieve corpses trapped under debris,” he said.
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Emergency response teams, volunteers, and local divers have been deployed along the riverbanks and affected communities to search for survivors and recover more bodies. Many of the displaced are now seeking shelter in schools and religious centres across the state.
The flooding has exposed the vulnerability of communities situated along waterways and flood-prone areas, raising urgent concerns about infrastructure, preparedness, and the impact of climate change in Nigeria’s hinterlands.
As the state mourns its dead, the need for immediate humanitarian relief is growing. Survivors are in dire need of food, clean water, medical aid, and temporary shelter.
State and federal authorities are being urged to declare a state of emergency and launch a comprehensive response to prevent further loss of life.
This flood is the deadliest natural disaster to hit Niger State in years, and one of the most severe flooding incidents recorded in Nigeria this rainy season.