The Federal Government has approved N2 billion for the rebuilding of houses destroyed by the recent flooding, which ravaged communities in the Mokwa Local Government Area of Niger State.
The Vice President, Kassim Shettima, made this known on Wednesday when he paid a condolence visit to the communities to commiserate with the state government and people of the affected communities.
The devastating flood, which started on Wednesday last week, not only led to the death of over 160 persons but also destroyed more than 100 houses.
Shettima who disclosed that President Bola Tinubu expressed deep sadness by the devastating Mokwa flood said the President assured Niger State of Federal Government’s commitment to addressing the plight of the residents.
He noted that President Tinubu personally directed him to visit the affected communities and reassured them of the Federal Government’s full support in their trying times.
“The President is heartbroken by the tragedy that befell Mokwa. He has directed swift action to ease the suffering of the people and to help rebuild what has been lost,” Shettima said.
The Vice President further disclosed that President Tinubu approved the immediate release of N2 billion for the construction of new homes for victims whose properties were destroyed by the flood.
He directed the Minister of State for Agriculture, Senator Abdullah Sabi, to temporarily relocate to Mokwa to oversee the reconstruction of the collapsed bridges and coordinate other recovery efforts.
“The President has approved the immediate release of N2 billion for the rebuilding of houses destroyed by the flood. The minister for agriculture, Senator Abdullahi Sabi, who is an indigene of Mniger State, is to relocate to the state.
“The Minister is tasked with ensuring that food items and relief materials provided by the Federal Government are properly distributed to those affected,” he said.
While offering prayers for the souls of the departed, Shettima urged the people of Mokwa to remain steadfast in faith and to trust in God during this trying period.
In his remarks, Niger State Deputy Governor, Yakubu Garba, described the incident as a national catastrophe and called for urgent intervention from the Federal Government.
He expressed gratitude to local volunteers and emergency responders particularly the State Emergency Management Agency—for working round the clock to save lives and support displaced residents.
Garba stressed the strategic importance of Mokwa, which he said serves as a vital link connecting different parts of the country.
He noted that four key bridges in the local government area had collapsed and appealed for urgent federal assistance, stating that the state government alone could not manage the scale of reconstruction required.
He also called for specific support for women, who he said were among the worst affected by the disaster, particularly in rebuilding their businesses and livelihoods.
The Etsu Nupe and Chairman of the Niger State Council of Traditional Rulers, Alhaji Yahaya Abubakar, offered prayers for divine consolation for the bereaved families and urged the people to accept the tragedy as God’s will.
He thanked the Federal Government for its swift response and called for the speedy completion of the ongoing Mokwa bypass expressway and the rebuilding of damaged infrastructure to restore economic and social life in the area.
