Mokwa, Niger State – The devastating flood that swept through Mokwa on Thursday, May 29, has left a trail of unimaginable sorrow, with women, particularly mothers and widows, bearing the brunt of the tragedy. While the waters have receded, the emotional scars remain, a stark reminder of lives irrevocably changed.

Saratu Husseini, a 44-year-old widow from Tiffin Maza, embodies this profound grief. In less than 30 minutes, she watched helplessly as the flood claimed the lives of her three sons. Twelve-year-old Mohammed drowned trying to save a goat, followed by 15-year-old Aliyu who bravely went after him. Her eldest, 18-year-old Kabir, after carrying his mother to safety, tragically returned to save his brothers and was also swept away. "I begged Kabiru not to go after them. But he wouldn’t listen," Saratu recounted, her voice heavy with anguish.

This sudden catastrophe has turned Saratu and an estimated 416,600 residents of Mokwa into refugees. The torrential rainfall, which began the night before, destroyed homes, submerged farmlands, and left a community reeling. Officials have confirmed over 207 deaths and more than 1,000 people missing, with approximately 500 homes destroyed and 500 injured.

 This latest disaster adds to Nigeria's growing struggle with annual floods; 2024 alone has seen over 1,200 flood-related fatalities nationwide.

The flood's impact was particularly cruel to the most vulnerable: women and children. Saratu Mai Karfa, who traveled to Mokwa for a wedding, found her celebration turned into a nightmare. The bride-to-be was tragically killed, and Mai Karfa lost her youngest and eldest sons, aged 28 and 17. On top of this, precious wedding materials – expensive clothes, perfumes, and food items – were all swept away. Her daughter also lost wedding preparations worth N200,000, purchased with her own savings.

Another heart-wrenching account comes from Zubaida Aliru, who lost her two young children, 10-year-old Hassan and 5-year-old Khadijatu. Despite her desperate attempt to hold them and wade through the rising waters, the powerful current proved too strong, and they were tragically pulled from her grasp. "I screamed desperately for help," she said, "But the water was louder than my voice."

While some, like Maryam Dahiru, were fortunate enough to not lose family members from her 18-member household, they lost everything else – their food, belongings, domestic animals, and even school supplies. "We didn't salvage anything, not even a single shoe," she lamented.

Adding to the suffering, the distribution of relief materials has sparked frustration and distrust among the affected. In communities like Wurin Gangare and Gudun Ruwa, displaced survivors and grieving families feel overlooked. A young woman, who wished to remain anonymous, expressed the deep injustice: "I counted over about 20 people who were not directly affected receiving aid, while those of us who lost their loved ones and property have not gotten any."

The women of Mokwa are left to pick up the pieces of their shattered lives, grappling with immense loss and a challenging path to recovery. Their stories serve as a poignant reminder of the human cost of natural disasters and the urgent need for equitable support and attention.