Four days after devastating floods swept through Tiffin Maza and Anguwan Hausawa communities in Mokwa Local Government Area of Niger State, residents continue frantically searching for bodies of their loved ones to give them proper burials.

Official figures from the Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA) have put the death toll at 151, with more than 100 others still missing. The disaster has left 50 houses completely destroyed and rendered approximately 3,018 persons homeless, many of whom are currently taking refuge at Mokwa Central Primary School.

According to NSEMA Director General Abdullahi Baba Arah, the catastrophe was triggered by a downpour that lasted several hours early Thursday morning, causing homes to be submerged and buildings to collapse. The agency reported that 11 people sustained various injuries, 265 houses were affected across three communities, two roads were washed away, and two bridges destroyed.

Eyewitness Accounts Paint Grim Picture

Eyewitness accounts suggest the death toll may be higher than official figures, with some residents claiming more than 200 corpses were buried on Friday alone. Mal Tanko Bala, leader of the Hausa community, told reporters, "We have so far buried over 100 and those we are still searching for are more than 100. We have cases where out of a family of 40 only two survived, we are still searching for 38. We had a family of 12 - all gone, a family of 10 cannot be accounted for."

Alhaji Belle Ibrahim, who lost his entire family in the flood, described his ongoing search for their remains. "I am still searching for their remains to give them a proper burial," he said tearfully, adding that the floodwaters surged into their home while they were sleeping. "This is the worst tragedy I have seen in over 35 years of living in Unguwan Hausawa."

Hauwa Kudu, a journalist based in Minna with relatives in the affected area, shared that her aunt's four children remain missing. "My auntie was found and buried last night (Friday). My family is still searching for them," she explained.

Government Response

Niger State Deputy Governor Comrade Yakubu Garba visited the affected communities on Friday and confirmed that search and rescue operations were ongoing. He assured that the state government was working around the clock to provide relief materials to victims.

A federal government delegation led by the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Idris, also visited to express condolences. Idris revealed that President Bola Tinubu had been fully briefed on the disaster and had directed that all available federal resources be deployed to address the situation.

"The immediate priority of the Federal Government is to save lives and provide urgent relief to survivors through NEMA, which is ongoing," Idris stated. He added that the National Orientation Agency has been directed to carry out sensitization campaigns to discourage settlements near river banks.

The Minister for Humanitarian Affairs, Prof. Nentawe Goshwe Yilwatdo, pledged to review the situation and identify needed areas of support for the internally displaced persons.

In response, Deputy Governor Garba disclosed that the state government had approved the distribution of 6,000 bags of rice and other essential materials to cushion the effects of the disaster on victims. He also mentioned plans to construct stem water drainage systems in Mokwa and Mashegu council areas to prevent future occurrences.

The flood also temporarily blocked Tatabu Bridge in the Mokea area, which links the North to the South-West, causing major traffic gridlock until local authorities deployed graders to clear the road and restore movement for travelers.

As rescue efforts continue, many corpses reportedly remain trapped under collapsed buildings, with a large number of Quranic school pupils (almajiri) still unaccounted for.