A torrential downpour on Sunday wreaked widespread destruction across communities in Plateau and Bauchi states, leaving scores of houses destroyed, farmlands submerged, and hundreds of residents displaced.
In the Menkaat community, Shimankar district, Shendam Local Government Area of Plateau State, over 50 houses, including schools and a worship centre, were destroyed.
Residents said the rainstorm, which began in the early hours, was accompanied by strong winds that uprooted trees, knocked down electric poles, and blew off rooftops, causing several buildings to collapse.
Mazawaje Daniel Danjuma, the councillor representing Shimankar, confirmed the extensive damage, saying that rice farms were especially affected as floodwaters with sand overwhelmed the fields.
“Many residential buildings have collapsed. The intensity of the rainfall also destroyed farms. People have lost a lot,” he said.
Another resident, Mr. Lawrence Longwalk, appealed for urgent government intervention, noting that two primary schools and a worship centre were destroyed.
“From the level of damage, the people need urgent help,” he said.
Bauchi
Meanwhile, a rainstorm also displaced over 40 households and swept away farmlands in Dass Local Government Area of Bauchi State.
Adamu Nayola, Director of Relief and Rehabilitation at the Bauchi State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), said that although no lives were lost, many victims, especially women and children, are now in urgent need of humanitarian assistance.
Nayola blamed the severity of the flooding on a poorly constructed culvert by a road construction company, which failed to handle the heavy volume of water.
He assured that SEMA had begun assessments and would provide relief materials to affected communities.
Niger
Also, flood submerged several farmlands in parts of Niger State following an early morning rainfall on Sunday in Kafin Koro, Paikoro Local Government Area.
The flooding also affected 18 communities in Lapai Local Government Area, where some farmlands were damaged, and many others remain at risk of being washed away.
Some of the affected communities include Dere, Eshi, Apataku, Tsakanabi, Kuchi Kakanda, Arah, Achiba, Rebba, Ebwa, Pele, Edda, Rigido, Gbami, Yawa, Baka, and Muye.
The state government on Sunday urged riverine communities to relocate to higher grounds, citing intensified rainfall across the state.
In a statement, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Communication, Media and Strategy, Jonathan Vatsa, acknowledged the emotional ties residents have to their ancestral homes but emphasised the need to comply with the government’s relocation advisory until the rains subside.
“As a government, we will continue to be proactive by appealing to the people, especially those in flood-prone areas, to immediately move upland to avoid another disaster like that of Mokwa,” Vatsa said.
“We understand the strong connection people have to their ancestral lands, but given the current flood alerts and the realities we are already witnessing, it is crucial that they heed this warning.”
“The Mokwa experience is still fresh in our minds, and we cannot afford a repeat. That is why we are urging the people to move to higher ground,” he added.
Vatsa revealed that the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) had earlier identified 15 out of the state’s 25 local government areas as highly vulnerable to flooding during the rainy season.
FG’s flood warning
The federal government also recently issued a red alert for imminent flooding in 11 states.
The alert, which predicts possible flood events, came from the National Flood Early Warning Centre under the Federal Ministry of Environment.
Similarly, during the April unveiling of the 2025 Annual Flood Outlook, the Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Prof. Joseph Utsev, listed several high-risk flood zones.
These include Abia, Adamawa, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Benue, Borno, Cross River, Delta, Ebonyi, Edo, Gombe, Imo, Jigawa, Kebbi, Kogi, Kwara, Lagos, Nasarawa, Niger, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, Oyo, Rivers, Sokoto, Taraba, Yobe, Zamfara, and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Between March and July 2025, over 250 people were killed and thousands displaced due to a series of floods, windstorms, and rainstorms across states including Sokoto, Niger, Kaduna, Taraba, Ekiti, Ogun, and Imo.
The deadliest incident occurred on June 11 in Mokwa, Niger State, where more than 200 people died and dozens went missing after a massive flood submerged large portions of the town.
Just last week, heavy rainfall triggered severe flooding in various parts of Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, displacing hundreds of residents.
According to the police, eight buildings collapsed as a result of the flood, though no casualties were recorded.
The affected areas include Bulunkutu, Pompomari Bypass, Damboa Road, Gamboru area, Baga Road, Gwange, Moduganari, Dala, Moranti, and Jiddari Polo.
Many residents expressed fear, recalling the devastation caused by the September 10, 2024, flood.
Meanwhile, in Adamawa State, five people lost their lives and over 50 others were injured following a devastating flood that swept through several communities in Yola North and Yola South Local Government Areas in late July.
The heavy rainfall caused widespread destruction in the affected areas
The worst-hit communities include Yola Bypass, Sabon Pegi, Yolde Pate, and Modire, where houses were submerged, farmlands destroyed, and roads washed away, hindering both human and vehicular movement.
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