“My Wife And New Born Just Got Back A Day Prior After Giving Birth, I lost Everything” Niger Flood Victim

Adamu Yusuf’s life changed completely after he lost nine family members in Tiffin Maza, one of the two communities worst affected by floods in Niger state, north-central Nigeria.

He is just one out of many Niger residents who are counting their losses as a result of the deadly flood that has left at least 150 people  dead and many more missing after flash floods on Friday, 30th May 2025, destroying homes and displacing thousands in Mokwa, Niger State.

The Niger State Emergency Management Agency (Nsema) reported a sharp rise in fatalities, up from 115, as rescue teams continue to recover bodies swept into the River Niger. 

Over 500 households, comprising more than 3,000 people, have been affected, with some families losing between two to five family members, including children.

The districts of Tiffin Maza and Anguwan Hausawa in Mokwa have been identified as the worst hit and  local authorities say 11 individuals have been rescued and are receiving treatment in hospitals.

 I watched helplessly as water washed my family away’- Mr Adamu; Victim Of Niger Flood

According to BBC,  36-year-old Adamu said whis wife and newborn baby were among those swept away by the floods early Thursday morning in Niger State.

“She was the one that woke me up when the flood hit, and I quickly gathered the family and told everyone to hold one another. As we stepped outside, we saw water everywhere in our living room and the compound. They panicked and we got disconnected.”

His wife and baby had returned to Mokwa just a day before, after spending a few weeks at her parents’ house following the birth.

“I watched helplessly as water washed away my family. I survived because I could swim. It was God that saved me,” Mr Adamu said.

On Saturday, the atmosphere in Tiffin Maza was filled with grief, despair, and loss. Scattered clothes, soaked mattresses, and crushed metal roofing sheets were all that remained of hundreds of destroyed homes.

The buildings still standing showed clear signs of damage, with roofs ripped off and parts of the structures torn apart.

Standing on a blue tiled floor—now the only marker of where his bedroom once stood—Mr Adamu looked around the empty space that had replaced his community.

“I lost everything to this flood. But the most painful is that of my family. The only valuable I have now is this cloth I am wearing which was even given to me by my friend.”

He said one relative had been found dead and he has “resigned to fate that others won’t return” to him alive.

Mokwa’s district head, Muhammad Shaba Aliyu, noted, “I beg the government to support us,” highlighting the severe impact of what he described as the worst flooding in 60 years. 

Officials on the ground appear overwhelmed as survivors urgently seek food and shelter.

The floods, triggered by torrential rain from late Wednesday into Thursday, submerged entire communities along the River Niger. A key bridge connecting the northern and southwestern regions of Nigeria collapsed, leaving many motorists stranded.

It is said to be worst in the area for 60 years, swept through the Mokwa districts of Tiffin Maza and Anguwan Hausawa after torrential rains.

What The Government Is Doing About The Flood 

Nigerian President Bola Tinubu has directed “all relevant emergency and security agencies to intensify ongoing search and rescue operations,” as the country grapples with the aftermath of devastating floods.

Officials caution that the death toll may continue to rise, with the rainy season spanning from April to October only just beginning. Forecasts predict heavy rainfall in at least 15 of Nigeria’s 36 states, heightening concerns about further destruction.

Rescue teams remain active on the ground, continuing to recover victims.


“We have so far recovered 115 bodies, but more are expected as the flood travelled from a distance and carried people into the River Niger,” said Ibrahim Audu Husseini, Nsema’s spokesperson.
“Bodies are still being discovered downstream. The toll keeps rising.”

The tragedy has shattered entire families. By Friday, one household of 12 was still missing most of its members. Local officials reported by Sunday that the death toll had surged past 200, a sharp increase from 110 reported just two days earlier. There are ongoing fears that the number could climb even higher.

In the town located in central Niger State, roughly 500 individuals remain unaccounted for. However, according to local official Musa Kimboku, speaking to the BBC, rescue operations have been halted due to the belief that there are no longer any survivors to be found.

In an effort to prevent disease in the area, authorities will soon start to dig out corpses buried underground, Mokwa’s district head Muhammadu Aliyu said.


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