By Abdullahi Lukman
Residents of Mokwa Local Government Area in Niger State are facing renewed fears of flooding following a significant rise in water levels near a railway bridge currently undergoing reconstruction.
The development has raised concerns of a possible repeat of last year’s devastating flood, which claimed more than 200 lives and destroyed homes, public infrastructure and bridges across the community.
Investigations revealed that the rising water was caused by temporary obstruction of the water channel during reconstruction work on the railway bridge, preventing the free flow of water through the area. Residents fear that continued rainfall could worsen the situation and trigger another major disaster.
Confirming the development on Friday,the chairman of Mokwa Local Government said the accumulation of water posed a serious threat to the community and could lead to another flood if urgent action was not taken.
He disclosed that the council had immediately contacted the construction company handling the bridge project and directed its site engineer, Engr. Ayodele of CPN, to reopen the blocked channel to restore normal water flow.
According to him, the company assured authorities that immediate steps would be taken to address the problem.
The chairman reassured residents that the safety of lives and property remained a top priority, adding that the council would continue to implement measures aimed at preventing another disaster.
He also advised residents living close to the affected area to temporarily relocate until the channel is fully reopened and the risk reduced.
Meanwhile, the Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA), in collaboration with the Mokwa Local Government Council’s Disaster Management and Climate Change unit, has deployed a team to assess the situation and coordinate preventive measures.
Speaking on the development, NSEMA Public Relations Officer, Hussain Ibrahim, confirmed that the agency was aware of the threat and had already carried out an assessment of the area.
He said a detailed report on the findings would be released after the evaluation.
