Deadly  Windstorm Lands In  Niger State, Over 1,000 Homes Destroyed

Barely one year after the deadly flood disaster that devastated Niger State, thousands of residents in several communities across the state have again been thrown into hardship after a powerful windstorm destroyed homes, displaced families and wiped out properties worth millions of naira.

The latest disaster swept through communities in Mokwa Local Government Area and other parts of the state, leaving more than 5,000 residents homeless as roofs were blown off buildings and entire structures collapsed under the heavy storm.

According to the Niger State Emergency Management Agency, no fewer than 12 communities in Mokwa alone were badly affected, with over 1,000 houses destroyed.

The affected communities include Sawmill, Kpege Wayata, Kpege, Station Girigi, Efu Shaba Lile, Tifin Madza, Yafu, Etisheshi, Hakimi Aliyu and Nasfat.

In a statement issued in Minna, the Director-General of NSEMA, Alhaji Abdullahi Baba Arah, said the destruction was not limited to Mokwa, adding that communities in Bida Local Government Area, Lavun Local Government Area, Katcha Local Government Area, Gbako Local Government Area and Mariga Local Government Area also recorded widespread damage.

He disclosed that Durgu Community in Bobi Ward, Mariga Local Government Area, was among the worst-hit areas, with more than 200 houses destroyed by the storm.

The agency also confirmed that several villages in Bida Local Government Area, including Cheniyan, Nasarafu, Bariki, Kyari, Dokoza, Masaga A and Masaga B, suffered heavy destruction as strong winds tore through homes and public buildings.

Residents said many families are now sleeping in open spaces, schools and temporary shelters after losing their homes overnight.

The latest disaster has revived painful memories of the massive flood that struck Mokwa in June last year, when more than 200 people reportedly lost their lives and over 2,000 houses were destroyed in what residents described as one of the worst disasters in the state’s history.

Many victims of that flood are still struggling to rebuild their lives, despite promises of support and billions of naira reportedly donated by the Federal Government, corporate organisations and individuals for relief and recovery efforts.

NSEMA said it is currently carrying out detailed assessments alongside local authorities and other stakeholders to determine the full scale of destruction and the immediate needs of affected residents.

The agency also warned residents living in flood-prone areas to relocate as the rainy season intensifies across the country.

For many families in the affected communities, however, the fear is growing that another season of disaster may have already begun before recovery from the last one was completed.