ActionAid Nigeria has expressed solidarity with the affected families and residents of the devastating floods in Mokwa, Niger State, which have destroyed vast hectares of farmland, homes, and businesses.
In a statement made available to newsmen in Abuja on Monday, ActionAid Nigeria’s Country Director, Andrew Mamedu, reaffirmed the organization’s commitment to supporting the state government and its partners in responding to the humanitarian crisis.
The statement read:
“We are now reliably informed that the death toll has risen to 224. While we commend the efforts of humanitarian actors on the ground and donors who have contributed to government coffers, the scale of devastation in Mokwa is heartbreaking.
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“The current relief efforts are not meeting the urgent needs of displaced persons, especially women and children. Although humanitarian organizations are present and providing limited support, the camps remain poorly organized and lack essential services.
“Many affected persons, particularly women, are reluctant to stay overnight in these camps due to the absence of basic amenities such as toilets, running water, and secure shelter. Consequently, many choose to sleep in destroyed homes or on open pavements, exposing themselves to further hardship.
“It is also concerning that the local emergency management committee lacks meaningful representation of women, which is vital to ensuring that gender-specific needs are effectively addressed during relief efforts,” he added.
Mamedu noted that, as of Sunday, June 8th, the state government had yet to commence any form of intervention, opting instead to wait until after Sallah to begin aid delivery.
This delay, he said, risks worsening the suffering of thousands who are already vulnerable—especially pregnant women, nursing mothers, children, and persons with disabilities.
ActionAid Nigeria recommended that the Niger State Government should immediately commence the distribution of aid without further delay, prioritizing food, non-food items, water, hygiene kits, psychosocial support, temporary family tents, and improved camp infrastructure.
Furthermore, the organization urged the Niger State Government and the local emergency management committee to ensure meaningful representation of women in relief coordination committees. This inclusion, it said, is crucial to addressing gender-specific needs, including the provision of gender-sensitive toilets, which would encourage displaced persons to remain in safer shelters.
The organization also recommended that development partners and civil society organizations increase support for comprehensive humanitarian interventions, particularly cash transfer programmes, to enable affected households to quickly access essential supplies.
“All humanitarian actors should ensure a coordinated, transparent, and culturally sensitive community-focused assessment to identify and respond to the evolving needs of affected persons.”
“The Niger State Government must urgently implement proactive, climate-resilient measures to mitigate further devastation, especially as the rainy season continues. The risk of additional flooding remains high, and urgent action is required,” Mamedu said.
While ActionAid Nigeria acknowledged the Federal Government’s delivery of grain and the N2 billion support package, it stressed that more comprehensive and sustained action is needed from both the Niger State Government and the Federal Government.
“An open public accountability mechanism to track how every contribution is used should be put in place to ensure that no one benefits from the suffering of survivors. Every resource must go to those most in need,” he said.
Mamedu concluded by reaffirming ActionAid Nigeria’s commitment to supporting affected communities and urged all stakeholders to act swiftly and transparently to alleviate the suffering caused by the floods.
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