Victor Ezeja
Niger State government has come under heavy criticism by Nigerians for soliciting financial help to tackle the humanitarian challenges caused by the flood disaster that occurred in the state last week.
Prime Business Africa reports that the devastating flood, which happened last Thursday, killed over 150 persons, injured many and displaced over 3,000 others.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelSpokesperson of the Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA), Mr. Ibrahim Husseini, said 503 households were affected, 265 houses destroyed, two major roads washed away by the flood and three bridges collapsed all within three communities in Mokwa Local Government Area.
A statement released on Saturday, 31 May by Bologi Ibrahim, Chief Press Secretary to the Governor of Niger State said the governor while appreciating all relevant agencies that contributed to the search and rescue operations, called on the Federal Government to provide a temporary camp for the victims, as where they are occupying now is not habitable. The governor further solicited “humanitarian interventions from Cooperative organisations and individuals to provide succour for the victims, but advised that all financial assistance should be sent to a government-approved bank account.”
Reacting, some Nigerians took to social media to criticise the action of the Niger State government. A policy analyst and founder of Veriv Africa, Basil Abia, described the gesture as “disgusting.”
Abia queried what the Niger State government did with $10 million it allegedly received from the World Bank to tackle ecological problems in the state.
“I have never seen anything like this in my life. The Niger State Government is a recent World Bank grantee ($10 million) by the way, and they receive monthly FAAC allocations in billions too. I am disgusted by this depth of evil,” Abia stated via his X handle.
Prime Business Africa reports that the north central state had, in December 2024, announced that it secured a $10 million World Bank-assisted fund to tackle gully erosion in some parts of the Mokwa Local Government Area.
The state Governor, Umaru Bago, who announced this in Mokwa during his Statewide projects monitoring tour, had said competent contractors, with track records, have been engaged to handle the project, which he said then, would commence soon.
READ ALSO: Niger Flood: Death Toll Rises To 151, Over 3,000 Displaced – NEMA
“What happened to the $10m he secured at the end of last year to tackle this mokwa flooding? The governor probably saw how barbecue scammed some people and decided to try his own luck by dropping the account too,” an X user, Adeolu @astalavi stated.
“This same Niger State got loans last year for environmental development what happened to the loan, did they seek donations before they sent people on pilgrimage yearly? Our leaders need to set their priorities right,” another X user, Adekunle Oderinde wrote.
President Tinubu on Saturday sent a high-level Federal Government delegation to Niger State to commiserate with the government and people of the state over the devastating floods that ravaged Mokwa and its environs.
The delegation comprises the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris and his counterpart in the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Prof. Nentawe Goshwe Yilwatda.
Idris said the President expressed deep concern over the scale of the disaster, especially as it comes barely a year after a similar incident caused widespread devastation in several communities across Niger State.
Victor Ezeja is a passionate journalist with seven years of experience writing on economy, politics and energy. He holds a Master's degree in Mass Communication.
