The food supply chain from the north to the southwest is under massive threat in the aftermath of Wednesday night’s destructive rain and the resultant flood that swept away the Mokwa Bridge in Niger State.
The death toll in the tragedy was put at 151 yesterday by the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA).
President Bola Tinubu ordered the immediate activation of the National Emergency Response Centre to take care of displaced persons whose number was put at 3,018.
Hundreds of trailers laden with pepper, tomatoes, onions, yams, potatoes, rams, goats and cows remained stuck at the Mokwa end of the bridge yesterday, sparking anxiety in the Southwest about possible sharp increase in prices of those items.
Demand for the food items and livestock is especially high around this time of the year when Muslims are preparing for the Eid el Kabir.
The festival is scheduled for Friday, June 6 across the world.
Some of the trailer drivers and owners of the goods yesterday openly lamented that highly perishable stuff like pepper and tomatoes were already rotting.
Some of the rams and cows were also in terrible conditions occasioned by insufficient food and water.
Some have also dropped dead.
The social media were awash with dire messages from some of the stranded drivers and passengers advising housewives to manage whatever quantity of pepper they currently have.
Search and rescue operation extended far beyond the epicentre of the flooding yesterday, which led to the recovery of more bodies.
Spokesman of the Niger State Emergency Management Agency, Ibrahim Audu Husseini, confirmed that the death toll had now reached 151.
A total of 503 households were affected and 265 physical houses damaged or washed away.
At the last count, 3,018 people were displaced.
Tinubu orders NEMA, others to speed up rescue, relief operations
President Tinubu, writing on his X handle @officialABAT early yesterday, directed the immediate activation of the National Emergency Response Centre after receiving reports on the scale of the disaster.
He expressed grief over the incident and promised a swift and compassionate federal response to support the affected communities.
He said: “Upon receiving initial reports, I immediately directed the activation of the National Emergency Response Centre.
“I have also been briefed by the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) on the scale of the disaster and the urgent humanitarian needs.
“Search-and-rescue operations are ongoing, and all relevant federal agencies have been mobilised to support the state government’s efforts.
“Relief materials and temporary shelter assistance are being deployed without delay. We will ensure that no Nigerian affected by this disaster is left behind or unheard of.
“I assure all those impacted that your government stands with you. We will continue to coordinate with the Niger State Government to ensure a swift, coordinated and compassionate response, one that prioritises lives, restores dignity and accelerates recovery.
“I call on all Nigerians to keep our fellow citizens in Mokwa in our thoughts and prayers. In times of adversity, we draw strength from our unity, resilience and shared humanity.
“I have also directed our security agencies to assist in the emergency efforts while NEMA and the National Emergency Response Centre have been tasked with coordination and providing updates as necessary.”
President sends high power delegation to Minna
The President also dispatched a high power delegation led by Information and National Orientation Minister Mohammed Idris to the state.
Also on the delegation was Humanitarian and Poverty Alleviation Minister Nentawe Yilwatda.
The team was received by Deputy Governor Yakubu Garba on behalf of Governor Mohammed Bago.
Idris said the President was personally saddened by the disaster and had directed that every available resources of the government be deployed to assist the state.
“President Tinubu has activated every government agencies to ensure what needed to be done is done,” he said.
He said the situation should be regarded by the people as a “warning against future occurrence.” He added: “Those living in those areas need to be properly educated.
“In that direction, President Tinubu has also asked the National Orientation Agency to immediately embark on a campaign around the community and other communities across the country to sensitise the people on the dangers of living in areas that are prone to such disaster.
“The agency is also to enlighten and educate them on steps to be taken in the event that such a disaster occurs again.”
Also speaking, Yilwatda said: “Nigerians stand by you, our hearts and prayers are with you at this difficult moment.
“We will review activities carried out so far and work with the Refugees Commission and see the kind of support we can give for displaced communities; we will see how we can support them especially farmers whose farms have been washed away.
“We will try to restore livelihoods of the people who have lost their means of livelihoods; we will also look at details of areas of needs and go back to the President and see what further support can be provided.”
Responding, Garba, appreciated Tinubu and the delegation, describing their visit as timely.
The Deputy Governor solicited an emergency camp for the displaced persons.
He said a dedicated account had been set up for the victims and advised those still living in the flood plains to vacate immediately to avoid a reoccurrence of the disaster.
He said: “About 151 dead bodies were recovered and buried, 3, 018 people were displaced, 11 people were injured and 503 households were affected and still counting.
“265 houses were affected within Mokwa, three communities within Mokwa Local Government Area, two roads and three bridges were washed away.
“Hence the need for quick intervention to restore the livelihoods of the people. The rescue team includes NEMA, SEMA, IOM, Red Cross, traditional leaders and Ja’matul Islamic,
“However, we cannot ascertain the exact cause of the flood, but advise the people living at river bank to take precautionary measures.”
Speaking to reporters at the end of the meeting, Professor Yilwatda said the federal government and the states were collaborating to stem the tide of such disasters in the country.
“We’ve come to live with climate change, and climate change makes it unpredictable for you to accurately predict natural disasters, and that is why we are having this problem. This is a very big tragedy and the federal government sees it as such,” he said.
Continuing,the minister said: “Floods are natural disasters, but the humans also have their own action to take to mitigate such.
“There are areas of man-made that will need to be cautioned. But of course, this federal government and the state governments are in collaboration to ensure that we reduce this menace to the barest minimum.
“As of April 2025, the federal government opened a bid for the construction of storm water drainage in Mokwa specifically and Mashegu.:
“The bid has been opened, the selection is ongoing. In the nearest days, not even up to a month, you will see contractors actually mobilizing to the site. That is our hope.”
“This is a disaster that has happened too many times. And it is just the beginning of the rainy season. We don’t wish anything worse than this to happen, but we also have to take steps to ensure that we mitigate the reoccurrence of this kind of tragedy.
“People have to be very clear that issue of nature cannot be predicted sometimes. We have to be cautious so that we can stay away from the water banks.”
On the gridlock on the Mokwa road as a result of the flood, the Minister said that the federal government has activated a remedial action preparatory to a more permanent solution to be made so that there will not be a complete breakdown of movement of people and groups along that area.
