No fewer than 1,000 houses have been destroyed following a devastating windstorm that swept through parts of Niger State, leaving scores of residents homeless and communities in distress.
The disaster, which affected several settlements across Mokwa and Bida local government areas, was confirmed by the Niger State Emergency Management Agency on Wednesday.
According to the agency, preliminary assessments revealed widespread destruction in multiple communities, particularly in Mokwa, where rooftops were blown off and buildings severely damaged.
The Director-General of NSEMA, Abdullahi Baba Arah, disclosed that the worst-hit areas in Mokwa included Sawmill, Kpege Wayata, Kpege, Station Girigi, Efu Shaba Lile, Tifin Madza, Yafu, Etisheshi, Hakimi Aliyu and Nasfat.
He added that several wards in Bida were also impacted, including Cheniyan, Nasarafu, Bariki, Kyari, Dokoza, Masaga A and Masaga B.
Arah further noted that the destruction extended beyond the two LGAs, with similar incidents recorded in Lavun, Katcha, Gbako and Mariga local government areas.
“In Mariga LGA, over 100 houses were earlier reported destroyed in Durgu community under Bobi Ward,” he said.
The agency said it had commenced a rapid assessment of the affected areas to determine the scale of damage and identify urgent humanitarian needs.
The windstorm has displaced many families, with victims forced out of their homes after roofs were torn off and buildings rendered uninhabitable.
Authorities are yet to announce relief measures, but NSEMA said efforts were underway to mobilise support for those affected.
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