At least 110 die after torrential rains in Mokwa, Niger state

At least 110 people have died in floods caused by torrential rain in central Nigeria, officials have told the BBC.

The rainfall lasted for several hours, said the head of the Niger State Emergency Management Agency (Nsema), Abullahi Baba-Arah.

He added that “surging flood water submerged and washed away over 50 residential houses with their occupants”.

According to Nsema, the Tiffin Maza and Anguwan Hausawa districts of Mokwa town were worst affected.

Mokwa’s District Head, Muhammad Shaba Aliyu, said it has been “60 years” since the community had suffered this kind of flooding.

“I beg the government to support us,” Mr Aliyu said.

This is the start of the rainy season in Nigeria.

Many parts of northern Nigeria experienced heavy rainfall and flooding in 2024 which caused deaths, displacement of people and destruction of houses and infrastructure.

The country also suffered severe flooding in 2022, which forced around 1.3 million people out of the homes and caused more than 600 deaths.

Additional reporting from Cecilia Macaulay