…Urges government to dredge the River Niger
By Henry Umoru, ABUJA
The Senate has urged the Federal Government to, as a matter of urgency, carry out a holistic investigation into the Mokwa flood and in other parts of the country, with a view to providing long-term solutions, including improved and sustainable flood control infrastructure and early warning systems to forestall future occurrences.
The Senate has also asked the federal government to dredge the River Niger, just as it observes a minute’s silence in honour of the victims that lost their lives in the flood.
The Upper Chamber has also urged the Federal Government to prioritise prompt execution of the relief packages promised during the visit of the Vice President.
The Senate has asked the Federal Government to, as a matter of urgency, direct all relevant authorities to resettle people living along both active and inactive river paths and banks, water channels and erosion-prone areas as well as intensify efforts to provide additional food and other relief materials, such as medical care, temporary shelters and clean water to the victims of the flood.
The Upper Chamber also mandated the Joint Committee on Works, Housing and Urban Resources Development and Water Resources to visit the affected communities to carry out on-the-spot assessments of the disaster as well as monitor implementation of FGN relief packages and report back to the Senate.
Resolutions of the Senate yesterday were a sequel to a motion titled “Catastrophic Flood Disaster in Mokwa, Niger State: Need for Proactive Action to Forestall Future Occurrence”. The motion was sponsored by Senator Peter Jiya, PDP, Niger South.
The motion was co-sponsored by 21 other senators.
In his presentation, Senator Peter Jiya said, The Senate notes that on Thursday, 29th and Friday, 30th May, 2025, a devastating flood swept through the town of Mokwa in Niger State after a heavy rainfall, resulting in unprecedented loss of lives and widespread destruction of private and public properties worth more than N10bn (ten billion naira);
“Also, notes from the casualties recorded from the disaster that over 700 people lost their lives, including pupils from four (4) Islamic schools, but only about 300 bodies were physically accounted for, while many were buried under mud and uncountable numbers swept away into the River Niger; over 350 persons injured; about 1800 homes destroyed; and 3000 residents displaced; about 3354 people in the IDP camp(s); On the whole, not less than 9,560 people were affected by the flood;
“Further notes that critical infrastructure(s) were not left out of the disaster, as the rail line uprooted two bridges collapsed, roads together with motor vehicles swept away and over 50,000 hectares of paddy fields and croplands destroyed, which will no doubt affect local, state and regional food supply chains.
“Concerned that in the early days of this administration in 2023, via a correspondence from my office, the Ecological Fund Office (the Fund) was informed of the need to carry out urgent works at the inactive riverwaysin Mokwa and Kutigi towns, respectively, areas prone to flooding, but the Fund is yet to make progress in this regard despite earlier warnings issued by the Nigeria Meteorological Agency (NIMET) of imminent heavy rainfall and flooding in vulnerable parts of the country, including Niger State;
“Also concerned that despite the warnings, the measures put in place by the relevant MDAs to forestall the occurrence or mitigate the devastating impact of the flood, especially in the affected communities, were not significantly felt.
“Observes that the Federal Government responded and intervened through the visit of the Vice President, National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA) and other relevant agencies of government, as well as NGOs and traditional rulers. Through the directive of the Etsu Nupe and other well-meaning Nigerians, they responded by providing immediate relief materials; however, due to the magnitude of the disaster and the massive casualties recorded, the resources provided have been overwhelmed, hence the need to scale up relief intervention measures to alleviate the sufferings and hardships faced by affected victims.”
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