Azumi Usman, one of the survivors of the devastating flood that ravaged Mokwa Local Government Area of Niger State, has recounted the loss of 21 family members in the tragedy.
Speaking to News Central, Azumi described the flood as unprecedented in her lifetime. “We all escaped but 21 members of my family died. We saw the corpses of four of them. We cannot find the rest,” she said.
The flood, described as the worst in the area in 60 years, swept through communities in the Mokwa districts of Tiffin Maza and Anguwan Hausawa after a night of heavy rain. According to official figures, the death toll has risen to 200, with over 1,000 people still missing and more than 3,000 displaced.
Azumi pleaded for urgent intervention from authorities. “Government should build houses for us, elsewhere… Please assist us, because both the poor and the wealthy are affected by this disaster. This is the fourth day, and we have not seen anything from government. We get help from our relatives and different strangers,” she said.
She expressed frustration over the lack of visible relief: “No house to live, no clothes, no food. We have only been hearing, some people brought one million, some persons brought two million, and nothing. We haven’t seen anything.”
According to her, flood victims were simply asked to stay put. “They only told them, everybody should go and wait in their compound. In case, if they wanted to do something, they can be able to locate them in their various places. And that is what they have been doing for four days since this thing happened.”