Mokwa, Bida, others hit by windstorm in Niger, over 1,000 houses destroyed

From John Adams, Minna
A devastating windstorm has swept through parts of Niger State, destroying more than 1,000 houses and leaving about 5,000 people homeless across several communities.
This comes barely a month to the anniversary of the Mokwa flood disaster that previously devastated the area.
According to an update from the Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA), at least 12 villages in Mokwa Local Government Area were affected by the latest disaster.
The affected communities include Sawmill, Kpege Wayata, Kpege, Station Girigi, Efu Shaba Lile, Tifin Madza, Yafu, Etisheshi, Hakimi Aliyu and Nasfat, among others.
In a statement issued in Minna on Thursday, the Director General of NSEMA, Alhaji Abdullahi Baba Arah, said the windstorm also impacted Bida, Lavun, Katcha, Gbako and Mariga local government areas, where over 100 additional houses were destroyed.
He noted that Durgu community in Bobi Ward of Mariga LGA recorded the worst hit, with over 200 houses destroyed.
Preliminary reports also indicated that several villages in Bida LGA were affected, including Cheniyan, Nasarafu, Bariki, Kyari, Dokoza, Masaga A and Masaga B.
Baba Arah said the agency, in collaboration with local authorities and relevant stakeholders, was conducting detailed assessments to determine the full extent of damage and humanitarian needs.
He assured that further updates would be provided as assessment continues, while urging residents in flood-prone areas to relocate ahead of the rainy season.
Recall that in June last year, Mokwa experienced a major flood disaster that destroyed over 2,000 homes and claimed more than 200 lives, with properties worth millions of naira lost.
However, reports indicate that many of the displaced persons from that disaster are yet to be resettled despite donations from the federal government, corporate bodies and individuals.