The Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Joseph Utsev, on Tuesday clarified that water released from the Kainji and Jebba Dams did not cause the recent flooding and deaths in Mokwa, Niger State.
Speaking at a press conference in Abuja, Utsev stated that residents in the area failed to heed flood warnings, which led to the tragedy.
“The Federal Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation expresses its heartfelt sympathy and solidarity with the government and people of Niger State, especially the affected communities in Mokwa who suffered losses, deaths, and displacements due to this natural disaster,” Utsev said.
He emphasized that both the Kainji and Jebba Dams remain intact and safe, and neither released water that contributed to the flooding.
Utsev praised the Niger State Government, local authorities, and first responders for their swift efforts to support and provide relief to affected victims.
He attributed the Mokwa flood primarily to heavy rainfall caused by extreme weather linked to climate change, which overwhelmed local drainage systems. He also blamed unregulated construction for blocking an ephemeral tributary of River Dingi—a normally dry offshoot of River Niger that only flows during rainfall. Without proper channels to redirect the excess water, the flood’s impact worsened.
Utsev reminded Nigerians that the Federal Ministry, through the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA), had already predicted flooding in 19 local government areas of Niger State, including Mokwa, in its 2025 Annual Flood Outlook (AFO) released on April 10, 2025.
He cited the same report, which identified 1,249 communities in 176 local government areas across 33 states and the FCT as high flood-risk zones. Additionally, 2,187 communities in 293 LGAs across 31 states and the FCT fell within moderate flood-risk areas.
The high flood-risk states listed include Abia, Adamawa, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Benue, Borno, Cross River, Delta, Ebonyi, Edo, Federal Capital Territory, Gombe, Imo, Jigawa, Kebbi, Kogi, Kwara, Lagos, Nasarawa, Niger, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, Oyo, Rivers, Sokoto, Taraba, Yobe, and Zamfara.
Utsev urged state and local governments to take the AFO’s warnings seriously. “We had urged—and still urge—governments to strengthen drainage infrastructure, relocate vulnerable communities, conduct public awareness campaigns, and enforce land-use regulations to prevent encroachment into flood-prone areas,” he said.
