Toba Owojaiye reporting
Mokwa, Niger State
In the wake of one of the most devastating natural disasters to hit Niger State in decades, Governor Umaru Bago has cancelled all Sallah celebrations, including the traditional Hawan Bariki, Durbar, and other elaborate Eid-el-Kabir activities across all Emirates in the state.
Truth Live News gathered that the decision, Governor Bago said, is a mark of solemn respect for the over 200 lives lost in the catastrophic flooding that submerged Mokwa Local Government Area and its surrounding communities. The directive was formally conveyed by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Alhaji Abubakar Usman.
“This is a time for mourning, not celebration,” said the SSG. “Our hearts are heavy. Families have been torn apart. Entire livelihoods have been washed away. It is only right that we honour the memories of the victims with a period of silence, prayer, and reflection.”
Confirming the scale of the tragedy, the state’s Commissioner for Humanitarian Affairs, Ahmad Suleiman, disclosed in an emotionally charged interview on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief that over 200 bodies have already been recovered, with more still missing.
“Nobody can tell you the actual number of casualties,” he said. “We are still pulling bodies out of the water and rubble. Entire families have been wiped out.”
Suleiman explained that the state government has launched an emergency response, deploying relief materials to the thousands of displaced persons now housed in makeshift camps. Trailers of rice and other essentials have been dispatched, and the First Lady of the state has personally visited Mokwa, donating N50 million to aid ongoing relief efforts.
However, a visit to some of the makeshift camps by our correspondent paints a far more troubling picture, one of desperation, abandonment, and deep frustration among the victims.
Many displaced persons allege that promises of food and support have not been met with action. Victims say they are often photographed receiving food items by government officials or aid agencies, only to be left with nothing.
“We are 17 in my household, but they gave us just one loaf of bread and some tea,” cried Mama Isah, a widow sheltering with her children in one of the camps. “Is that enough for even our breakfast? What are we supposed to eat tomorrow?”
Her voice, cracked with exhaustion, echoed a sentiment shared by many, they feel used for photo-ops, then forgotten.
A community volunteer, Hussaini Muhammed, described the camps as “unfit for human beings.”
“No clean water, no toilets, no privacy. These are not conditions for children, let alone the elderly. We’re just trying to survive each day.”
Victims and local advocates are now calling on the government to remove bureaucratic bottlenecks and allow direct access by well-meaning individuals, NGOs, and community-based groups who wish to offer relief without interference.
“Let the people help us,” pleaded Mama Isah. “We don’t need more speeches. We need food. We need medicine. We need dignity.”
As Niger State mourns over 200 lives lost to the Mokwa floods, the cancellation of Eid celebrations stands as a solemn gesture in a time of unspeakable grief. But as survivors cry out from overcrowded camps with little food or shelter, the humanitarian response is being questioned. In this moment of national sorrow, empathy must not end at condolences, it must lead to action.