MINNA, Nigeria — Two decomposed bodies believed to be victims of the flash flood that devastated Mokwa town in Niger State on Thursday, May 29, 2025, have been recovered, authorities confirmed on Thursday, June 19, 2025.
The discovery comes over three weeks after the disaster, which was triggered by a torrential downpour that swept through Mokwa, the headquarters of Mokwa Local Government Area, submerging buildings and washing residents from their homes.
Director General of the Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA), Abdullahi Baba Arah, confirmed the recovery to reporters, stating that the corpses were uncovered after heavy rainfall on Wednesday dislodged sand dunes that had buried them.
“The two dead bodies were recovered today at the downstream of the bridge. Yesterday’s rains that flowed along the water channel washed away sand dunes that covered the dead bodies. The bodies were decomposed beyond recognition,” Arah said.
The remains were found along the floodwater path downstream of the main bridge that runs through Mokwa, an area heavily impacted by the disaster.
The Niger State Government had earlier reported that no fewer than 207 people were confirmed dead from the flooding, with more than 700 still unaccounted for.
The true toll remains uncertain as emergency crews continue search-and-rescue and recovery operations in surrounding communities.
