By MAHDI MUSA MUHAMMAD (Kaduna) and JAMIL GULMA (Birnin Kebbi) – Flooding has wreaked havoc across parts of Nigeria, with Northern states recording some of the worst devastation in recent weeks.
Official figures released on August 16, 2025, show that at least 165 people have died, more than 119,000 others have been affected across 19 states, 82 are missing, and 138 have been injured.
The disaster displaced 43,936 people, destroyed or damaged 8,594 houses, and submerged about 8,278 hectares of farmland, worsening food insecurity across the country. The victims include 53,314 children, 36,573 women, 24,600 men, 5,304 elderly people, and 1,863 persons with disabilities.
Impact on Northern states
In the North, fatalities were recorded in Borno and Kaduna, while Kebbi and Sokoto states witnessed widespread displacement, destruction of homes, collapse of infrastructure, and large-scale damage to farmlands.
Kebbi state
In Kebbi, a major highway bridge linking Sokoto, Kebbi, and Niger states toward Lagos through Liba was damaged, another bridge connecting Birnin Kebbi and Makera to Kangiwa and onward to Niger Republic was also affected, and the road from Fana to Dakinkari in Dandi and Suru LGAs was washed away. Three haulage trucks were swept off a collapsed bridge, leading to heavy property losses.
Governor Nasir Idris has set up a committee led by the Commissioner for Works, Abdullahi Umar Faruk Muslim, to assess the damage and mobilize relief, while the State Commissioner for Information, Yakubu Ahmed, appealed to the Federal Government for urgent intervention to restore key roads and bridges.
Sokoto state
In Sokoto, flooding hit Shagari and Bodinga LGAs, where houses collapsed in Darhela and Bukutu wards of Toma District in Bodinga, and in Dandi Mahe in Shagari. Reports confirmed that more than 300 farms were submerged in Badau, while at least 75 farms were destroyed in Butuku.
Emergency officials led by Malam Mustapha Umar visited the affected communities, while the Sarkin Yamman Badau, Alhaji Ibrahim Buda, described the disaster as serious, though he noted that newly constructed roads by the state government helped reduce the impact by easing water flow. In Shiyyar Taba, several houses and more than 75 farms were also damaged.
Humanitarian concerns
Displaced residents are currently sheltering in schools, churches, and makeshift camps, with urgent calls for food supplies, temporary shelter, medical support, and humanitarian aid. Officials warn that the overcrowded camps and unsafe water sources could trigger outbreaks of waterborne diseases.
Outlook
Experts caution that with the rainy season still underway, more flooding is possible, especially in low-lying communities along riverbanks. Northern states remain on high alert as they continue to count the heavy losses from one of the most destructive floods in recent years.
Blueprint
