By Abdullahi Lukman
In what seems an unending hullabaloo about the real causes of the Mokwa flood, the Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA) has attributed the disaster to climate change and deforestation.
The Federal Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation, as well as several other sources, have separately attributed the disaster to heavy rainfall, releases from Kainji and Jebba dams and climate change.
The flood claimed over 200 lives, displaced over 3,000 residents and destroyed three bridges, causing unprecedented damage.
Speaking on Channels Television’s ‘Sunrise Daily,’ NSEMA acting Director-General, Ibrahim Hussaini, described the flood as unexpected and severe, noting that Mokwa was hitherto not among flood-prone locations in the state.
However, he said, changes in climate patterns and environmental degradation have made areas previously not prone to floods vulnerable.
Hussaini explained that while flooding was predicted for some downstream villages near the River Niger, the scale of the disaster in Mokwa town was unforeseen.
He commended Governor Umar Bago for proactive measures such as road construction, rehabilitation, and funding for community awareness, although efforts are challenged by residents’ emotional ties to their ancestral lands.
The governor and state agencies continue to act swiftly to mitigate flood impacts, independent of federal forecasts, to protect lives and property in Niger State.