TRAGED!ES: How 300 Nigerians d!ed in 6 days
TRAGEDIES: How 300 Nigerians died in 6 days
Nigeria, a country long beleaguered by insecurity, is now grappling with a cruel convergence of crises, both man-made and natural. As bullets fly in rural communities plagued by banditry, and military jets mistakenly strike civilian vigilantes, floods and landslides are simultaneously swallowing a community in Rivers State.
In just less than a week, hundreds of lives have been lost to a string of tragedies. From the deadly flood in Mokwa, Niger State, to a fatal airstrike in Zamfara, and from rising floodwaters in Rivers State to violent village raids in Benue, the question facing millions of Nigerians is no longer if disaster will strike, but when, and who will be next.
In the face of these tragedies, the response of state institutions has ranged from reactive to woefully inadequate, prompting fresh questions about governance, infrastructure resilience, and the state’s capacity to protect its people. As families mourn their dead and survivors pick through the wreckage, the country is left to confront a sobering truth; the line between natural disaster and national failure is growing dangerously thin.
In Niger, Rivers, Kano, Zamfara, and Benue states, entire families have been lost, homes destroyed, and communities displaced in what many are calling one of the deadliest weeks in recent memory. The sheer scale of destruction and death has prompted urgent calls for national reflection, better disaster preparedness, and a more compassionate response from government authorities at all levels.
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Mokwa Flood: A town submerged in sorrow
The most catastrophic of these events unfolded in Mokwa, Niger State, where torrential rains triggered the collapse of a dam on Wednesday, May 28, unleashing a flood described by local leaders as the worst in 60 years. The rampaging waters swept through entire neighborhoods, particularly the districts of Tiffin Maza and Anguwan Hausawa, where families were caught unawares in the dead of night.
As of the weekend, the death toll had risen to over 200, with more than 500 others reported missing.
The Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA) put the official death toll at 160, while the State’s Commissioner for Humanitarian Affairs, Ahmad Suleiman, said over 200 bodies of the victims had been recovered, while speaking on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief show on Tuesday.
Hundreds of homes were flattened, leaving thousands displaced. Women and children, including numerous Quranic school pupils, were among those swept away.
The bridge linking Koshaba and Raba communities, just 7km from Mokwa town, was washed away. Corpses were recovered at the point where the swollen waters joined the River Niger.
Okrika landslide
Barely two days later, on May 30, another flood disaster struck in Okrika, Rivers State, where heavy rains triggered floods and landslides, killing at least 25 people. The tragedy unfolded in the oil-producing region of southern Nigeria, submerging homes and sweeping residents away.
Emergency officials said the flooding left many residents homeless and triggered widespread panic. “We were sleeping when the earth started to move. Water came rushing in,” a survivor told Africanews, recounting the terrifying moment the landslide struck.
While rescue teams rushed to affected areas, the lack of preparedness and inadequate drainage systems in the town were cited as contributing factors. Local leaders called on both state and federal authorities to overhaul disaster management frameworks in the region.
Athletes’ journey ends in death
Just a day later, tragedy struck along the Kano-Zaria road when a bus transporting athletes returning from the National Sports Festival in Ogun State plunged off Chiromawa Bridge. The May 31 crash claimed 22 lives and left many others seriously injured.
The bus, a Coaster belonging to the Kano State government, reportedly suffered brake failure before veering off the bridge. The accident occurred in Dakatsalle town, roughly 50km from Kano, as the delegation was approaching the final stretch of their journey home.
Daily Trust reported that among the dead were young athletes, coaches, medical personnel, a journalist, and sports officials, an entire contingent representing Kano’s hopes and pride.
“These were our future champions,” said a tearful official. The team had just returned with six Gold, 13 Silver, and 10 Bronze medals.
Kano State governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf, declared Monday, June 2, a public holiday in honour of the deceased and extended condolences to grieving families. In a statement by his spokesperson, Sanusi Bature Dawakin Tofa, the governor said the state was “deeply shaken” by the loss.
Airstrike in Zamfara: Vigilantes bombed
Even as the nation mourned flood and crash victims, another blow came on June 1 in Zamfara State, where a military airstrike intended to neutralise bandits is alleged to have mistakenly hit a group of local vigilantes. At least 20 people were killed.
Al Jazeera reported that the Nigerian Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame said the strike followed intelligence that, “A significant number of terrorists were massing and preparing to strike unsuspecting settlements.”
“Further intelligence confirmed that the bandits had killed some farmers and abducted a number of civilians, including women and children,” Ejodame said in a statement, adding that two local vigilantes were killed and two others injured in the crossfire.
However, according to residents cited by the AFP news agency, a group of local vigilantes pursuing a gang were mistakenly bombed by a Nigerian military jet.
42 died in Benue
Days before the airstrike, another wave of violence swept through Benue State. Between May 25 and 26, suspected bandits killed at least 42 people in coordinated attacks on four communities in Gwer West Local Government Area.
Daily Trust reported that the residents said 20 people were killed in Aondona, 10 in Ahume, five in Tyolaha, and seven in Tse Orbiam communities of Gwer West LGA, bringing the total fatalities to 42, while two people were reportedly abducted during an incident in which a Catholic priest was shot near a military station in the area.
According to reports, the incident has forced many of them to flee their homes as the attacks now become a daily occurrence.
Chairman of Gwer West LGA, Victor Ormin, confirmed the attacks and described the situation as genocide.
He criticised the military’s inaction, saying they claimed not to have the mandate from the federal government to engage the attackers.
From Mokwa to Okrika, from Kano to Zamfara and Benue, the past week has laid bare the layers of Nigeria’s multifaceted vulnerabilities. Natural disasters worsened by poor planning, road fatalities enabled by failing infrastructure, military mishaps caused by foggy intelligence, and unchecked banditry turning farmlands into graveyards.
Expert decries lack of preparedness
According to Dr Abbas G. Idriss, a disaster risk management expert and President of the Risk Managers Society of Nigeria (RIMSON), the tragedy reflects a dangerous combination of climate change, infrastructural neglect, and poor preparedness by both federal and state authorities.
In an exclusive interview, Dr Idriss explained that the flood, which followed heavy rainfall resulted in the deaths of over 200 people, the displacement of more than 3,000 residents, and the destruction of at least 250 homes. Hundreds, mostly young almajirai, remain unaccounted for. “The whole two villages were submerged. It’s very unfortunate,” he said, emphasising the importance of identifying root causes and adopting proactive strategies for risk reduction.
He identified climate change as a major driver of the disaster.
“Despite increased global awareness, many Nigerians still deny or fail to grasp the implications of a changing climate. The country is already experiencing more frequent and intense rainfall,” he noted, a clear symptom of climate-induced weather shifts. “Whether we like it or not, climate change has come to stay,” he warned.
Dr Idriss described the structural and environmental deficiencies that compounded the tragedy.
The area lacked functional drainage systems; a fact acknowledged by the Niger State deputy governor during a condolence visit by the federal government. Deforestation, largely driven by poverty and the demand for charcoal, has stripped the land of its ability to absorb rainwater, thereby increasing surface runoff. Additionally, poor urban planning and unregulated construction on waterways left residents exposed to danger, while erosion and river sedimentation further reduced the capacity of water bodies to channel excess water safely.
Although flooding in Nigeria is often attributed to river overflow, he clarified that the Mokwa incident was largely caused by localised accumulation of water and runoff rather than the River Niger exceeding its banks.
Dr Idriss was critical of the lack of preparedness on the part of government authorities. He stressed that disasters rarely occur without early warning signs and lamented the absence of a coordinated response plan. He proposed a robust disaster readiness model that includes mapping hazards, assessing risks, engaging stakeholders, educating the public, especially in rural communities, mobilising resources ahead of emergencies, and adopting insurance schemes to cushion post-disaster impacts. “It is cheaper and wiser to invest before a disaster occurs,” he said, estimating that one naira spent on preparedness could save between 20 and 50 naira in response and recovery costs.
Dr Idriss also commented on the recent fatal bus crash in Kano State, where 22 people died while traveling to a sporting event in Ogun State. He blamed the tragedy on poor risk management and questioned the logic behind transporting an entire team in one vehicle. “You don’t put all your eggs in one basket,” he said, recalling how he once cancelled a similar arrangement while working at NICON Insurance. He argued that the ₦44 million compensation paid jointly by the Kano and Ogun state governments could have covered the cost of a chartered flight, potentially saving lives. He advocated smarter travel logistics, including the use of multiple vehicles and proper risk assessment.
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