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The Federal Government has rejected speculation that the floods in Mokwa, Niger State, that resulted in deaths was the result of a dam break or water spill from reservoirs in the area.
The Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Prof. Joseph Utsev, in a press briefing in Abuja on Tuesday said that neither the Kainji nor the Jebba dams have problems and are up and running.
“It is important to say on record, the flooding in Mokwa was not a case of water spill from Kainji or Jebba dams. Both dams are intact and do not pose any threat to the communities around them,” he said.
The Minister expressed the condolences of the Federal Government to the people of Niger State, especially the people that had been affected by the floods and commended the government of Niger State, local government authorities and emergency responders for their prompt action.
He attributed the flooding to extreme rainfall resulting from climate change and poor urban development planning. He said, “the rain was so much that the town flooded. The town has some urban drainage, but these were all affected because the drainage system was posing some problems with blockages from tributaries and uncontrolled building activities.”
The Minister stated that the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA) had previously identified Mokwa as a flood-prone area.
He echoed the need for improved drainage, relocation of communities at risk, strict enforcement of land use laws, and broad education to help future disasters.
Utsev called for climate resilience action by “all parts of society—government, private sector, civil society and our communities—to come together to build safer and resilient environments.
” Technical teams from Ministry of NIHSA, Upper Niger River Basin Development Authority (UNRBDA) and the National Water Resources Institute (NWRI) are currently in Mokwa doing a full assessment. The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) estimates that over 200 people died because of the disaster on May 29, with around 500 missing, 121 injured, and over 3,000 displaced.
“The flood destroyed at least 265 houses and some vital roads and bridges. President Bola Tinubu has promised federal support and has activated the National Emergency Response Centre to oversee recovery efforts that are already in progress.”
