The death toll from the flood that ravaged Tiffin Maza and Anguwan Hausawa communities in Mokwa Local Government Area of Niger on Thursday has risen to 115.
When contacted, the Public Relations Officer of the Niger State Emergency Management Agency, NSEMA, Ibrahim Hussaini, made this disclosure on behalf of the Director General, Ibrahim Baba Arah.
He explained that so far the agency’s search and rescue team has recovered a total of 115 bodies.
According to him, “contrary to what is on social media, we have recovered 115 bodies. The search and rescue operation is still ongoing.”
The Federal Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation has pinpointed the insufficient number of dams as a critical factor contributing to the persistent flooding issues faced throughout the country, indicating a pressing need for improved water management infrastructure.
On Friday, during a visit to the Oyan Dam in Abeokuta, Ali Dala, the Director of Dams and Reservoirs Operations, disclosed this important finding as the Technical Sub-committee of the Inter-ministerial Technical Committee undertook its assessment of dam infrastructures across Nigeria.
Expressing concern over the flooding crisis, Dala underscored the importance of building more dams while also advocating for the desilting of older dams and rivers to remove sediment buildup and blockages, thereby tackling the flooding problem that continues to affect communities nationwide.
While speaking to journalists during the visit, Dala said, “I have said it, and even the Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation has mentioned it a number of times, that for us to control flood adequately in Nigeria, we need more dams”.
Dala said dams are essentially built to control flooding as they help in holding down large water for gradual release when such water won’t cause flooding.
