Nearly 100 people remain missing one week after catastrophic floods swept through the town of Mokwa in central Nigeria.
The disaster has already claimed 160 lives, according to the National Emergency Management Authority (NEMA), making it one of the deadliest floods in recent Nigerian history.
Triggered by torrential rains, the floodwaters surged through homes and overwhelmed drainage systems, leaving behind a trail of destruction 270 kilometres west of Abuja.
Efforts to locate the missing continue, but damaged roads and collapsed bridges are slowing emergency response teams on the ground.
NEMA has joined forces with the Red Cross, the Nigerian police, and the army to support search operations and relief efforts.
“There is heightened risk of disease outbreaks due to overcrowding and contaminated water sources,” NEMA warned in a public statement.
The human toll of the tragedy is immense, with many families still clinging to hope amid overwhelming loss.
“Just like that, my children were gone,” said Habiba Abdulahi, a 27-year-old mother who lost four of her five children in the flood.
Even in despair, residents like Abdulahi are praying for the recovery of their loved ones’ bodies to find closure.
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has deployed a medical team to Mokwa, offering critical healthcare, including services for pregnant women.
Flooding is a grim annual reality in Nigeria, particularly during the rainy season between April and October.
But this year’s disaster has struck with devastating force, exposing the fragility of local infrastructure and emergency systems.
As rescue operations press on, survivors and authorities confront the painful task of reckoning with what has been lost.