Death Toll Rises to 151 in Deadly Flooding in Mokwa, Nigeria

People search in flooded area following a downpour in Mokwa, Nigeria, Friday, May 30, 2025

The death toll from catastrophic flooding in Mokwa, a market town in Nigeria’s north-central Niger State, has climbed to at least 151, local emergency officials confirmed on Saturday, as rescue efforts continue in the wake of one of the country’s deadliest natural disasters in recent years.

The disaster struck in the early hours of Thursday when hours of intense rainfall triggered flash floods that swept through Mokwa, located approximately 380 kilometers (236 miles) west of Abuja. The town, known as a critical trading hub where farmers from northern Nigeria bring produce such as onions and beans for distribution to the south, was overwhelmed within a five-hour window.

According to Ibrahim Audu Husseini, spokesperson for Niger State Emergency Management Agency, the flood also left 11 people injured and displaced more than 3,000 residents. At least 500 households in three communities were directly affected. Survivors described harrowing scenes of water levels rising quickly, submerging entire homes, with only rooftops visible in some areas. Residents waded through waist-deep water, attempting to rescue others and retrieve belongings.

The map above locates Mokwa, Nigeria, where floods have submerged the town and caused at least 100 deaths

The damage to infrastructure has been severe. Two major roads and two bridges were washed away, further complicating emergency response efforts and access to affected regions.

President Bola Tinubu expressed his condolences in a statement late Friday and directed the immediate deployment of emergency relief to support the victims. He emphasized that no affected Nigerian would be neglected in the recovery process and instructed security agencies to assist with rescue and recovery operations, which continue amid fears that more bodies may be discovered in remote or inaccessible areas.

"Relief materials and temporary shelter assistance are being deployed without delay," the president said. "No Nigerian affected will be left behind or unheard of."

People search in flooded area following a downpour in Mokwa, Nigeria, Friday, May 30, 2025.

Flooding is a recurring issue during Nigeria’s wet season, particularly in regions along the River Niger. However, the recent deluge in Mokwa has proven exceptionally lethal, highlighting growing environmental challenges. Experts have long warned that climate change is worsening Nigeria’s seasonal weather extremes, causing prolonged droughts followed by intense rainfall events, particularly in northern regions.

Mokwa community leader Aliki Musa noted that the extent of the flooding was unprecedented for residents, who are not accustomed to such high levels of destruction. Local government chairman Jibril Muregi acknowledged that long-delayed flood-control infrastructure could have mitigated the scale of the disaster, calling its construction “overdue.”

As search-and-rescue operations continue and displaced families seek refuge, authorities have warned of further rainfall and called for heightened preparedness across flood-prone regions.