The Senate has issued a scathing rebuke of the Federal Government’s slow response to the deadly flood that devastated Mokwa in Niger State, demanding swift action, immediate relief, and a national strategy to tackle future climate disasters.
Moved by Senator Peter Jiya (PDP–Niger) and backed by 20 co-sponsors, the Senate described the flood as a national tragedy of monumental proportions—claiming over 700 lives, including scores of Islamic school children, and causing more than ₦10 billion in damage. Entire communities were cut off as railway lines were uprooted, roads washed away, and bridges collapsed.
In his motion titled “Catastrophic Flood Disaster in Mokwa, Niger State, and the Need for Proactive Action to Forestall Future Occurrence,” Jiya condemned the failure of key agencies to act on advance warnings from the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), which had long listed Mokwa as flood-prone.
“The warnings were there. The Ecological Fund Office had time to act—but did nothing. Now, the scale of destruction has overwhelmed both NEMA and NSEMA,” he said, urging the government to expedite delivery of relief supplies promised by Vice President Kashim Shettima during his visit.
Senator Victor Umeh (LP–Anambra) echoed Jiya’s frustration, calling the disaster “avoidable” and pointing to chronic institutional failure as a root cause.
Deputy Senate President Jibrin Barau, who presided over the session, led the chamber in a minute of silence for the victims and pledged the Senate’s support for long-term solutions—such as early warning systems, resilient infrastructure, and a national disaster preparedness framework.
“The Senate stands with Mokwa,” he said. “But this must be a wake-up call for the nation.”
