The Nigerian Senate has called on the Federal Government to thoroughly investigate the recent catastrophic flood in Mokwa, Niger State, and similar incidents across the country.
The Senate emphasized the need for long-term solutions, including the development of sustainable flood control infrastructure and the implementation of effective early warning systems, to prevent future disasters.
The resolutions followed a motion presented by Senator Peter Jiya (PDP-Niger) and co-sponsored by over 20 senators during Tuesday’s plenary session.
The motion, titled “Catastrophic Flood Disaster in Mokwa, Niger State, and the Need for Proactive Action to Forestall Future Occurrence,” highlighted the severe consequences of the flooding.
The Senate also observed a minute of silence in honor of those who lost their lives in the disaster and urged the Federal Government to expedite the delivery of relief packages promised during Vice President Kashim Shettima’s visit to the affected area.
Senator Jiya recalled that on May 29 and 30, a devastating flood struck Mokwa following intense rainfall, leading to significant loss of lives and destruction of property estimated at over N10 billion.
“More than 700 people reportedly died, including pupils from four Islamic schools. However, only about 300 bodies have been physically recovered so far,” Jiya said.
He added that critical infrastructure, including rail lines, bridges, and roads, was severely damaged.
Jiya noted that in early 2023, he had written to the Ecological Fund Office about the urgent need to address the inactive waterways in Mokwa and Kutigi—areas highly prone to flooding—but no significant progress had been made. This, despite prior warnings from the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) about heavy rainfall and flooding risks.
He further criticized the apparent ineffectiveness of relevant ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs) in responding adequately to the early warnings.
Although Vice President Shettima, along with the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and the Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA), visited and provided some relief, Jiya stated that the scale of the disaster has overwhelmed available resources.
Senator Victor Umeh (LP-Anambra) described the event as “a monumental national tragedy,” lamenting the failure of relevant bodies to act on advance warnings.
“This was a disaster foretold, yet the necessary preventive actions were not taken. Now, lives and properties have been lost on a massive scale,” Umeh said.
He urged proactive preparation by all agencies as heavier rains are expected in July.
Deputy Senate President Jibrin Barau, who presided over the plenary, expressed heartfelt sympathy to the people and government of Niger State.
