Flood in Niger: Seven missing, 89 houses destroyed

Seven people have been declared missing following severe flooding that struck two local government areas in Niger State in the early hours of Friday.

The flood, triggered by torrential rainfall, affected Sabon Pegi in Mashegu Local Government and Nasarawa in Magama Local Government.

The heavy rainfall, which lasted from 2 am to 12 pm, resulted in the destruction of over 89 houses and three vehicles, while hundreds of hectares of farmland were washed away.

The Director General of the Niger State Emergency Management Agency, NSEMA, Abdullahi Baba-Arab, confirmed the incident and stated that search and rescue operations are ongoing to locate missing individuals.

In a statement released by the agency’s spokesperson, Hussaine Ibrahim, Baba-Arab detailed the extent of the disaster.

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“NSEMA has received reports of flood disasters in Mashegu and Magama LGAs. The flood was caused by torrential rainfall that lasted through the early hours of Friday, August 30.

“As of the time of filing this report, seven people have been declared missing, over 89 houses were affected, hundreds of hectares of farmlands, and three vehicles were washed away,” the statement read.

He stated that communities most affected include the environs of Sabon Pegi in Mashegu and Nasarawa in Magama.

The search and rescue operations are being carried out by NSEMA staff, volunteers, and local riverine communities.

Newspot reports that this incident adds to the growing list of severe flooding events in Nigeria, driven by heavy rains and river overflows. Such disasters have displaced thousands, destroyed homes and infrastructure, and created urgent humanitarian needs for shelter, food, and medical aid.