Barely days after the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) issued a red alert for flooding across 19 states, catastrophe struck on Sunday as parts of Adamawa and Niger States were plunged into disaster, leaving multiple dead and scores displaced.
In Yola, the Adamawa State capital, torrential rainfall in the early hours of Sunday triggered severe flooding that submerged entire communities, swept away homes, and left property worth millions of naira in ruins. The worst-hit areas, according to our correspondent, include Yola Bye Pass, Sabon Pegi, Yolde Pate, and Modire, all now shadows of themselves as floodwaters overran houses and destroyed farmlands.
As of Sunday evening, many affected residents had fled to the outskirts for shelter, with entire streets submerged and electricity cut off. Vehicular and pedestrian movement remains paralyzed, while rescue efforts continue, albeit slowly.
Confirming the disaster, the Adamawa State Police Command disclosed that two bodies had so far been recovered and deposited at the Modibbo Adama University Teaching Hospital. Police spokesperson SP Suleiman Yahaya Nguroje noted that the command, in collaboration with personnel from the 23 Brigade, has been mobilized to assist residents in the affected areas.
“The Commissioner of Police, CP Dankombo Morris, has deployed trained marine police officers and engine-powered boats to support ongoing rescue and relief operations,” the statement added.
Meanwhile, Deputy Governor Professor Kaletapwa Farauta, who visited the devastated communities, offered her sympathies and directed the Adamawa State Emergency Management Agency (ADSEMA) to deliver immediate relief materials and commence resettlement for displaced persons.
Elsewhere in Niger State, tragedy struck again as the State Emergency Management Agency (NISEMA) confirmed that 13 bodies had been recovered following a boat accident on a river in Shiroro Local Government Area.
The ill-fated boat, carrying 39 passengers along with foodstuffs and livestock, had departed Guni in Munya LGA en route to the Saturday market in Zumba, when it capsized shortly after takeoff.
According to a statement from NISEMA on Sunday, 26 people were rescued through joint efforts by marine police and local divers. However, several goods, including bags of paddy rice, two cows, two sheep, and a goat, were lost in the river.
The disaster comes just months after a similarly deadly flood in Mokwa claimed over 200 lives and left massive infrastructure destruction in its wake, underscoring the urgent need for improved disaster response and river transport safety.